


They Never Know

by JannDG



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ChanBaek - Freeform, Doctor!Chanyeol CEO!Baekhyun, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-07-10 19:35:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 54,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15956084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JannDG/pseuds/JannDG
Summary: Baekhyun never wanted to have anything to do with his son. But circumstances forced him to take him back and finally give him the life he deserved. Everything would have gone the way he planned it. Except there was one problem: the kid's uncle from the other side named Park Chanyeol wouldn't let him have his way.





	1. Hana

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written on my AFF account under the same name. My first yaoi, too.

**WARNING: Flashback in the midst of the chapter. Just keep track of the action tenses.**

**\---**

 

Some days, Park Chanyeol gets tired being a doctor. He has to sacrifice a lot of his sleep, since he works in ER and most of the time, the emergency calls are in ungodly hours. During the moments when he has only little to no rest, he sometimes regrets signing an agreement with  **Kim General Hospital**  to be almost, always available on call, as long as they can reach him. At first, it was fun because being an ER Doctor also meant having a shift. He never had a regular schedule but at least he had a  _specific_  schedule, and he just needed to time-in and time-out. But after becoming part of the administration due to his performance, schedules became more difficult. Now, he also needs to look over intern reports and resident observations, on top of reviewing important notes, CT, lab results, X-ray, and occassional Ultrasound images. These things take up more time than his actual face-to-face encounters with ER patients. Chanyeol just doesn't understand how he agreed to handle a bigger role.

 

Part of the bargain may be the result of his closest cousin,  _Kim Jongin_ , convincing him to sign it because it's what they have always wanted since they were kids—to help people at all times, especially when they can. Jongin's schedules are less complicated, though, since he chose to stay as a regular ER Doctor with irregular shifts that are  _unsurprisingly_  always under his convenient control.

 

Good thing, Chanyeol shares the same unfortunate fate with his  _bestfriend_  and colleague,  _Do Kyungsoo_. A few months after he was promoted into administration, he quickly made an impressive recommendation that got Kyungsoo into the same level of busy profession. He can still remember how much Kyungsoo tried to dodge the chief's offer, but eventually gave in after Chanyeol's constant whining. Now, seeing Kyungsoo as occupied as he is during their shifts, he finds peace. The two of them are the youngest  _Junior Emergency Physicians_ to be a part of the  **Kim Medical Group Administration**. He consoles himself with this idea, thinking it's not that bad, as long as he sees his friends suffering, too, in a manner that helps other people get relieved of their suffering. Sadly, he can't do the same trick on Jongin since the bastard is the chief's only son and he gets to have a say in everything once he uses this card on his own father.

 

The only entertainment he finds during his duty is whenever  _the two_ —Jongin and Kyungsoo—cross paths in the hospital hallways or in operating rooms. Ironically, despite Chanyeol being close to the two, Jongin and Kyungsoo never see  _anything_ eye-to-eye and the two have been like this since medical school, arguing over endless cases, with Chanyeol being always the mediator in between.

 

_Today is no exception._

 

"Chanyeol deserves a rest, Jongin."

 

"Hey, Dr. Do, I believe the conversation is only limited to this area," Jongin argues like a child, gesturing his hands in the air around Chanyeol and himself.

 

They are currently in the hospital's rooftop garden after hours of attending to emergency room patients. It's almost midnight, and they're out of the hospital in a couple of hours, but Chanyeol thinks they need this break. He also needs to tell them about his talk with the chief and figures this could be the best distraction.

 

When Jongin confessed about mixing the triage information with the last two patients, Chanyeol suggested that the three of them take a fifteen-minute break—since he's the senior among them and he doesn't want them to act on impulse due to exhaustion or accidentally do unnecessary things that would be difficult to undo. Jongin immediately agreed, not even contradicting Chanyeol when he invited Kyungsoo, too. Perhaps, the guy is already too exhausted to complain about everything which he usually does. Apparently, when it comes to this conversation that Chanyeol brought up after they got here, Jongin's urge to  _antagonize_  Kyungsoo, as always, resurfaces like a rejuvenated spirit.

 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. "He's been working his ass off since residency and now that your father, the chief, is giving him a time off, you wouldn't even let him go. Are you having a separation anxiety or something? Maybe you'd want to consult Dr. Zhang?"

 

Jongin huffs. "I know Chanyeol needs rest. There's no way I'd miss his efforts, what, with you always reminding me that he's over-working himself. My ears are getting allergic to your everyday nagging, Doctor."

 

"And yet you won't let him go on break. You're not even his senior. You're just guilt-tripping him into not leaving you, asshole. You're such a baby."

 

"Guys, quit it," Chanyeol intervenes. "Chief only asked if I wanted a  _short_  break. I never said anything yet."

 

"My Chan-chan," Jongin dramatically breathes out, clinging his arms around Chanyeol's neck, leaning most of his weight onto Chanyeol. "Don't leave me here. I'd die young if you leave me alone with this horrible monster."

 

"Chanyeol doesn't even need to  _leave_  for me to kill you," Kyungsoo retorts.

 

Jongin shakes his head. "Nope, I'm not talking to you, you red Angry Bird."

 

Chanyeol gently unlatches Jongin's arms from around him. "Jongin, why are you so afraid of being left alone to work with Kyungsoo? It's not like he's gonna eat you or something. You're not even going to be left alone with him completely."

 

Kyungsoo hits Chanyeol's shoulder violently. "You mean,  _it's not like I'd want anything to do with him._ He's just scared of me because if he commits a mistake, which is always, you won't be here to cover up his sorry ass and I don't give a shit if he's the chief's only kid. I'd kick his ass and file an incident report."

 

"Chanyeol, don't leave me," Jongin wails in an exaggerated voice, draping his arms back around Chanyeol's neck. "Didn't we promise to suffer together? This is what we've always wanted."

 

"Except when I became a part of the admin and shit got real," Chanyeol snidely remarks. "But it's alright. Jongin, I just need to get back in Busan for some days and get  _Chanhyun_  ready for his first school year. He's going to start and we have a lot to pack. And besides, I want him to be a little familiar with how Seoul is  _again_  before the school year begins. He's been away for too long, he might have already forgotten what it's like to be—"

 

"HOLD THE FUCK UP," Kyungsoo interrupts, raising a hand. "Did you just say  _'Seoul'_?"

 

Chanyeol places a hand on his nape with an awkward smile and a small nod.

 

"Shit," Kyungsoo grumbles. "You're seriously bringing back the kid here? You mean, you're going to  _father_  him again full time?"

 

And for the first time, Jongin seems to be rowing the same boat with Kyungsoo on this when he says, "Chanyeol, are you kidding me? I mean, Chanhyun is a lovely kid, don't get me wrong. But if he's going to move in with you again, at this rate, you'd never find a minute of rest."

 

"I hate to say this, Chanyeol, but this idiot is actually right." Kyungsoo shakes his head, running fingers through his hair. "And besides, your parents want to be with him, too. You've already sacrificed some years of your life, raising him. You were supposed to be having a little fun when we were still in the last years of school, but instead, you always had to get home early and take care of your sister or this kid. Seriously. Your parents already accepted him, by God, just let them take care of him before you get him back under your responsibility. At least, wait until he's old enough to get himself to school so you won't have to exhaust yourself taking care of other people."

 

Chanyeol just gives them a weak smile. "He cries every night, Soo. It's been a year since I left him under my parents' care and mom says he's still looking for me everytime he wakes up or before he goes to bed."

 

"Well, you have got to let him learn things the hard way, Chanyeol," Jongin says in a serious tone, finally letting go of Chanyeol and fixing his own white coat. "He's just a kid but he would soon understand why you can't act like his father yet. You came from a well-off family, Chanyeol. You don't need to worry too much about Chanhyun because I'm sure his grandparents would give him anything he wants with a snap of his fingers. And it's not like you don't call them everyday to ask how he is."

 

_But Jongin and Kyungsoo would never understand Chanyeol's attachment to the kid..._

 

When his sister, Chaehyun, got pregnant after a reckless one night stand, the poor excuse of a man who got her pregnant left her the morning after their fun night. Chanyeol wouldn't deny it, his sister was really a stubborn kid herself and Chanyeol was half-relieved that he became influenced more by Kyungsoo when they were growing up. It made him take his education seriously because they've always been review buddies and they always had the small competition of whoever got the higher grades, with Jongin studying a year behind them. His sister was quite the opposite, though. Since they came from a family that fed them expensive food from silver plates with golden spoons, Chaehyun made sure she'd get the most out of it.

 

_And being pregnant wasn't a part of her plans._

 

After Chaehyun learned about her pregnancy, she attempted to abort the child. It was during Chanyeol's midterm exams when he finished earlier than usual and decided to visit his sister's dorm in Hongdae. He remembered his father asking him to check if his sister's in trouble again; remembered buying her favorite tart from that expensive coffee shop; remembered grunting as he fumbled for his phone to let her know he was at her door. But when he heard the phone ringing from the inside and a sharp cry of pain following afterwards, he dropped the box of tart and his phone, forcing his way into her dorm. It took him three attempts of crashing his body against the door, an almost broken arm, a quick run towards the security maintenance from the ground floor and getting the spare key to finally open her door. He barged into her kitchen, checked her bedroom, before realizing the sound of her cries were coming from her bathroom.

 

When Chanyeol opened the door, it was the first time he saw a lot of blood in one room that wasn't a hospital.

 

His sister was lying on the floor, unconscious, bathing in her own blood.

 

When Jongin's father told Chanyeol that the child was safe, he finally pieced together what was going on. He was told that she took a drug to abort the pregnancy and when she thought it wasn't working, she cut the pulse on her wrist. Fortunately, the drug she took wasn't that effective, considering she had to buy something discreetly since she didn't want anyone to suspect anything. And so when she woke up in that hospital the following day, Chanyeol only smiled at her dearly and told her it was going to be okay. That she didn't need to explain anything to him, that he might not have understood what she did and why she did it, but he accepts the fact that his sister was pregnant. Maybe the father cowardly ran away, but Chanyeol would always be there for his sister. He promised her that he would take care of her, just as long as she didn't hurt herself or the child again. And that convinced her to keep the pregnancy.

 

But it wasn't exactly a walk in the park after that.

 

Their parents cut off their ties with her when Chaehyun confessed about being pregnant. She was forced to stop going to school and was told that she was a disgrace in their family name. This made Chanyeol bear a little hatred towards his father who flipped the shit out of his brains after finding out about Chaehyun's pregnancy. They might have told Chanyeol numerous times of how they were lucky to have him as a son since he was living his life the right way unlike his older sister, but he still hated the fact that they disowned Chaehyun.

 

This situation pushed Chanyeol to work part-time in a coffee shop while going to medical school to support his sister secretly. Thankfully, his parents still paid for his university fees and dorm; and gave him a generous financial support. Suffice to say, Chanyeol learned how to save a lot and become independent at a young age, even if he came from a family of money.

 

When Chanhyun was born, Chanyeol knew all his efforts to take care of his sister and her child paid off.  _Chanhyun was, is, and always will be the most beautiful angel in Chanyeol's eyes._ As a reward, his sister named the child with the wordplay of his and his sister's names and made Chanyeol his legal guardian.

 

All the time, whenever Chanyeol went home exhausted from school and training, his mind would only be at ease after hearing Chanhyun's laughter. Sometimes, even his cries made him feel alive, too. His sister only took care of Chanhyun whenever Chanyeol couldn't be there. It was as if Chanhyun was more like his child than hers, despite Chanyeol's young age. He even proudly introduced the baby to Jongin and Kyungsoo as his own son, but of course the two knew it was Chaehyun's child.

 

But she never really looked at Chanhyun the way Chanyeol did, which almost convinced Jongin and Kyungsoo that Chanhyun was actually Chanyeol's.

 

Things were steady and going well. Chanyeol finished his undergraduate training and medical school, with Kyungsoo and Jongin by his side to help him stay sane. Chaehyun pulled herself together and started dating Chanyeol's basketball buddy in his university. Chanhyun's first word was 'dada', and he said it with a fit of giggles while pinching Chanyeol's cheeks. As the kid grew some more, he got used to calling Chanyeol 'daddy' because that's how he's been to the child— _a father figure, a caring parent._  And it wasn't until the last day of his residency practice when he woke up and gods threw him another challenge in a form of a letter that said a single word, and signed a single name...

 

**“Sorry. —Chaehyun”**

 

Chanhyun was left under his care without explanations.

 

It should've devastated him, but the sense of responsibility took over and he knew he just loved the kid more. Chanyeol decided it's time to pay his parents a visit and planned to introduce the little kid. He explained everything, until he came to the last part where his sister left the child.

 

 _But he went back to his small apartment with tears in his eyes and a sleeping Chanhyun in his arms, earning the same fate his sister had for helping the_ disgrace  _bear an illegitimate child._

 

Since then, he worked his ass harder, hiring Jongin's childhood nanny to take care of Chanhyun whenever Chanyeol went to work, and taking care of the child himself whenever he came home. He developed a difficult routine, but Chanhyun was worth all of it. Sooner, he was able to pay his parents some of what he knew he owed them, buy a decent house for Chanhyun and himself in a safe place close to the hospital where he worked in Gangnam, and he continued being on top of his career with Chanhyun as his prized possession to keep him going.

 

When Chanyeol didn't attempt to make amends with his parents, his mother personally approached him one day and begged him to get back home. Chanyeol, after all, would always be the favorite child but he never took indulgence in it anymore since he matured. Chanhyun was already three by then and it was Chanyeol's first month being a regular ER Doctor. Much like Chanyeol, Chanhyun  _is_ a pretty smart kid. He learned talking in complete sentences by the age of two, albeit adorably, and learned counting, differentiating basic colors expertly, and identifying basic shapes by the age of three. That was a year ago, and Chanyeol refused to go home. Not just because he wasn't ready to be with them yet, but also because he didn't want to compromise his career. The following day, his mother came back with his dad, and he allowed them a chance to get to know Chanhyun because Chanyeol was willing to let the kid surround himself with as much family as he can get.

 

He let go of Chanhyun, with a promise to take him back one day after his parents got to know a part of the child.

 

Now, Chanhyun can already write his own name in Hangul and English alphabet, and he's only four. He speaks and reads fluently in two languages—Korean and English—and is now set on learning basic Mandarin. He's good with naming fruits and vegetables, too, especially those that he eats and won't eat. He can also identify animals he recognizes from those story books that Chanyeol sent him, and everytime they tell him he did a great job, he always ends up saying,  _"I wish daddy can see this."_ Although Chanyeol meets with the kid and his mother every now and then, he knows it's not enough for Chanhyun and himself. They've been seeing each other everyday through SNS video calls and meet at least twice every month, halfway in between Busan and Seoul, but they always crave for the old times when Chanyeol would read him a bedtime story to sleep and Chanhyun would wake him up with kisses.

 

_He has to make a decision before the kid grows up hating him for leaving him alone like what his real parents did._

 

~

 

The following day, after five hours of sleep and a bowl of cereal, Chanyeol finds himself back in the hospital for his last duty this week.

 

"Good morning, Dr. Park. These are the scans you requested from last night."

 

"Thanks, Yuri."

 

It's not even the start of his shift yet, but he's already starting with his tasks.

 

As Chanyeol walks towards his personal office, he comes across Kyungsoo along the hallway who seems to have just arrived himself. He still has his brown satchel over a shoulder, walking into his own office next to Chanyeol's while reviewing a patient's profile on his way. His hair is neat, as usual, and he's yet to wear his white coat.

 

"Good morning," Chanyeol greets him with his warm, dimpled smile.

 

Kyungsoo looks up from the clipboard he's been reading and nods. "Good morning. Are you busy?"

 

Chanyeol shrugs. "Aren't we always?"

 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. "Give me a minute to settle my things. Keep your door open. We need to talk."

 

The urgency in Kyungsoo's voice forces Chanyeol to take the words seriously. He walks into his office and places the documents that the nurse gave him on his way, leaving the door unlocked. As soon as he sits in his chair, Kyungsoo comes in with his phone in one hand.

 

"Let's take a coffee or something. We're still at least half an hour early."

 

Chanyeol nods, standing up after quickly grabbing his car keys and wallet. "What's up?" he asks.

 

"Just wait until we get somewhere private."

 

"Well, it's a private hospital so..."

 

"Don't be stupid," Kyungsoo cuts him off. "You know what I mean."

 

Chanyeol lets out a soft chuckle to lighten up the atmosphere. "I know, principal. Are you alright? You seem grumpy. I mean, you're grumpy everyday but you're extra grumpy right now. Is it that time of the month again?"

 

"You're starting to sound dangerously like Jongin. How many times have I told you to stop hanging out with that idiot?"

 

Chanyeol takes it lightly with a laugh. "That's more like it,  _Private_."

 

They stop on the sidewalk to wait for the crossing light, with the sound of Kyungsoo's exhausted sigh. "I'm sorry, Chanyeol. I'm not being grumpy. I just lack... a little peace of mind, is all."

 

"Okay. I can understand. I have my days, too." He glances at the pedestrian light and taps Kyungsoo's shoulder. "Come on, it's green."

 

When they arrive, Kyungsoo heads straight to get them a table and Chanyeol orders them coffee. It's been a routine for them since residency practice, even with Jongin around. Usually, Jongin would stay with Chanyeol while he orders because that kid changes his taste all the time, unlike Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

 

After getting their coffees in to-go cups, he walks to their table and Kyungsoo doesn't even wait a minute to start his talk.

 

"I've heard from Kris."

 

Chanyeol stares at him expectantly and Kyungsoo gulps.  _He looks nervous._

 

Kyungsoo is  never nervous unless there's a really,  _really_  bad news.

 

"He called me this morning because he doesn't know how to talk to you," the guy continues. "How long has it been since your sister disappeared?"

 

Chanyeol internally struggles by the mention of his sister's disappearance. It's been so long since he last talked to someone about this. "I... I'm not sure. A year and a half?"

 

"Almost two years, I bet."

 

Chanyeol nods slowly. "I guess. Why?"

 

"You didn't hear anything from her since then?"

 

When Chanyeol shakes his head, Kyungsoo holds both of his hands in an attempt to sympathize.

 

"You know, I've been thinking about our conversation last night. I'm sorry about what I said."

 

Chanyeol scowls. "Where exactly is this conversation headed? Because I'm not following."

 

"You should get Chanhyun back," he blurts out. "I guess, you're the only one he has left. Let's not bullshit each other by pretending to think that your parents can take care of the kid. He's gonna start hating on you if you deprive him of the only thing he honestly wants. Which is, being with you."

 

With another light chuckle, Chanyeol ruffles Kyungsoo's hair, barely earning the usual glare from his bestfriend. "Where is all of this coming from? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

 

Kyungsoo merely fixes his hair.  _Something is definitely not right._ "I just know what it feels like to be taken away from something or someone that you care about the most. The pain is agonizing, in my opinion. And to think, I'm already an adult. Imagine how it's like for Chanhyun who's barely old enough to not see his parents everyday."

 

This time, Chanyeol is definitely stupefied. "Hang on, Soo. What's going on? Like, seriously. You're freaking me out."

 

Kyungsoo lets out a dry laugh. "You know how I'm always silver-lining things, right?"

 

"Yes, but you usually tell me about the bad news first, and with you, understanding my decision, doesn't sound like a bad news. So what's wrong?"

 

Kyungsoo stares at him before he finally breaks the start of his purpose for this talk. "Kris was having his second honeymoon last week in China with his partner. He saw  _her_."

 

At this, Chanyeol leans forward onto the table, speechless.

 

When Chanyeol doesn't say anything, Kyungsoo goes on. "It turns out,  _Chaehyun_  was in China all this time. Someone seemed to be supporting her luxurious living in China while you've been restless here and taking care of her child. She went by the name  _Changying_  since she got there."

 

Despite the slight misunderstanding, Chanyeol is actually glad to know about his sister after such a long time. He's thrilled to find out whether his sister has been doing fine or if she has found peace after her isolation. He smiles. "Wha—R-really?!"

 

Kyungsoo gives him back a sad smile. "You'll know someone's actually nice when they can still smile after hearing a news like this and summed up how their sister just left all responsibilities to them to live a life of a bachelorette."

 

"Soo, she's still Chanhyun's mother. And not just that.  _She's my sister._  I would never forgive myself if something happens to her now that I know where she is. I've got to see her."

 

Kyungsoo looks away. "There's something else, Chanyeol."

 

When Chanyeol doesn't speak, Kyungsoo looks back at him with unreadable eyes.

 

_"She died in a car crash yesterday."_


	2. Dul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the Kudos!

**WARNING: Flashback at the beginning of the chapter. Just keep track of the action tenses.**

**\---**

 

It was about two years ago when Byun Baekhyun woke up to the endless knocks on his door. That time, he just became the appointed CEO of his father's company that has been on top of the business world for generations. Baekhyun can't be anymore happy. That's why when someone knocked on his door at an hour when he's supposed to be taking his beauty rest, he still opened the door with a small smile... which immediately disappeared after seeing who it was.

 

 _Park Chaehyun,_  that one night wonder, was looking as beautiful as he remembered her. She was standing right at his door with her newly-dyed blonde hair, designer coat, and expensive boots. Without any words, she walked into his apartment and kissed the daylights out of him, which took him by surprise.

 

"Fu—Chaehyun!" Baekhyun pulled away from her, taking in a lungful of air. She suspiciously smelled like alcohol and sex. "Hello to you, too. What the fuck are you doing?"

 

She started slurring on her words. "We need to talk."

 

"Okay, whatever. Did you really have to attack me like that?" Baekhyun wiped his lips with the back of his hand and ran the other hand through his hair. "Sit down."

 

"Kris and I broke up," she breathed out, still standing close to him.

 

Baekhyun hated drama. It was the reason why he never let himself get into relationships. Chaehyun was convenient because she hated the same thing and here she was, knocking at his door to tell him a story about some guy she just broke up with. "What the fuck does that have to do with me?"

 

"I didn't tell him I had a son. But then my stupid brother just had to introduce that kid to him and everything went downhill."

 

At that, Baekhyun gaped at her. "You didn't fucking tell me about it, too. Are you married or something?! Because that's seven levels of fucked up, Chaehyun. You shouldn't have been playing around if you were married with a kid!"

 

Chaehyun let out a dry laughter.  _"He's your son, idiot."_

 

Baekhyun blinked, feeling the blood from his head draining. "W-what?"

 

"He just turned two. Yesterday. That one night trial we did brought the kid to life."

 

_Five..._

 

_Ten..._

 

 _Seventeen seconds of silence later,_ Baekhyun finally absorbed what Chaehyun just said. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"  _And he started freaking out._  "I can't have a kid, Chaehyun! I'm... I'm just about to start with my life. What the fuck do you want?!"

 

Chaehyun didn't speak, turning to sit on one of his couches instead.

 

"Chaehyun, you've had the time of your life, for fuck's sake. You're three years older than me. And I'm just twenty-four. I can't... I _can't_  be committed to anyone or anything yet. My father would kill me!"

 

"Fine. Just give me money to start my life over," Chaehyun finally said.

 

Baekhyun had let out a heavy breath. "You're acting like a real bitch now, do you realize that?"

 

"I was fucking disowned by my family, Baekhyun. The least you can do is help me get out of this fucking shame so I won't have to drag your ass with my downfall!"

 

"Fine. Fine!" Baekhyun pulled on his hair. "How much do you want?!"

 

Without thinking clearly, Baekhyun helped Chaehyun process her papers to leave the country and opened up a different account for her, just for the sake of immediately getting rid of a possible scandal. He practically made her disappear with a different identity and the secret about their mistake remained in between them. Baekhyun didn't take any chances. He wasn't ready for this responsibility yet because he was still young and having a kid would be a burden. Chaehyun only told him about their son's existence but he was too scared to ask about the kid because he knew having a baggage at that age would ruin his life.

 

_That was until a month ago, when he had a serious talk with his father._

 

"You are going to marry Taeyeon and that's final."

 

Baekhyun buried his face in his hands. "Dad, I can't marry her." He looked up. "I don't love her. I don't even  _like_  her. In fact, I don't even  _know_  a single thing about that girl and she's older!"

 

"That's exactly what you need in life, Baekhyun. You've been playing around, with men and women. You need to settle down and have a matured person beside you to grow up with."

 

"Dad, please don't force me. If I really have to, just... at least let me pick someone of my liking. Okay?!"

 

His father leaned back. Thankfully, they were in a secluded booth in one of his friend's restaurants and not many people could hear what they were talking about. "Well, you have to find someone sooner then."

 

"What's the hurry, anyway? Are you dying or something?"

 

"No, you idiot. I'd more likely kill you first because of all these playing around you're doing. For once in your life, take something seriously."

 

"Dad, I'm working my ass off to be the best I can be as your CEO. But this? It shouldn't be necessary. Seriously. Why are you getting so worked up?"

 

His father took a deep breath. "Look, your mother has been nagging me to stop working because she thinks it's about time for my retirement. But the board won't agree to have a chairman who won't take his life seriously."

 

Baekhyun was aghast. "Fucking hell. Why didn't you tell me you've been planning to retire?!"

 

Mr. Byun extended an arm to hit Baekhyun hard, square on his temple. "If you curse in front of me one more time, you'd end up chewing these china plates. Do you understand?"

 

Baekhyun nodded, massaging his hurt temple. "How do you expect me to produce a bride in an instant? Can't you just tell mom to wait some more or ask the board to forget about this stupid rule of having an heir before becoming a chairman? Because I'm sure that's what they're all thinking."

 

"Hey, little brat, I wasn't ready to become a father, too, when you were born. You're lucky I'm not yet dead while you're stepping up. In my case, I was really forced to have a baby because my father was dying when I was having this exact conversation with him."

 

"But being a CEO is already a pain in the ass. I don't wanna be a chairman yet. Let alone, be  _married_. To someone I don't know."

 

"Well, then, come up with something because these people won't change generations of qualification just for your advantage."

 

And that's exactly how Baekhyun finds himself standing in front of his bestfriend's doorway tonight with shaky hands. Because as always,  _Luhan_  must have a solution to this.

 

"What the—Baekhyun?! Are you drunk?"

 

Baekhyun steps into the apartment, clinging his arms around the guy who just opened the door. "What the fuck are you doing here,  _Sehun_?"

 

"It's my boyfriend's house, you idiot." Sehun drapes his arms around Baekhyun's waist to make sure he doesn't fall. "What are you doing here? At this unreasonable hour, if I might add."

 

_"Chaehyun's dead."_

 

It takes several seconds for Sehun to comprehend. "What?! How—Wait, you mean Chaehyun? As in  _the_ Park Chaehyun? Tao's bestfriend?!"

 

Baekhyun burries his face into Sehun's neck. "She was my only fucking chance, Sehun. I was going to marry her, whether she wanted it or not. She was the only girl I genuinely liked. Now, she's gone. What a fucking bad luck."

 

"Does Tao know about this yet? What happened? I mean, wasn't it just last month when—"

 

"Baby, who's there?" Luhan calls out from somewhere in his bedroom, walking out in his pyjamas. "Who are you talking... to—Baekhyun?!"

 

As soon as his bestfriend sees him almost losing his balance, Luhan runs to help Sehun sit him on his long, white couch.

 

"What the fuck happened?!" Luhan exclaims.

 

"Remember Chaehyun? The girl who's been practically  _blackmailing_  Baekhyun for two years?" Sehun asks.

 

Luhan turns to face his bestfriend. "Shit. How did the talk go? Did you find her?"

 

Baekhyun suddenly shifts and straddles Luhan. His two friends just shrug, glancing at each other, because they already know that a drunk Baekhyun is a  _really clingy Baekhyun._

 

 _"She's dead,"_ Baekhyun murmurs into Luhan's neck.

 

They all turn quiet after this. It is Luhan who speaks first after they get the needed time to sink everything in.

 

"Well, shit. What happened?"

 

"Car crash," Baekhyun answers. "She was with Tao. When I told Tao where she was, he immediately booked a flight with that Kris guy and went there to find her. To make amends, I guess."

 

Luhan runs circles along Baekhyun's back to calm him down. "And?"

 

"They got into a fight that led Chaehyun into losing control of the steering wheel. Maybe Chaehyun still felt betrayed that this Kris broke up with her not because of the baggage but because he's into another  _man_. Her  _bestfriend_ , to be exact."

 

"That's... awful. How's Tao?" Sehun asks.

 

"He's recovering in an ICU," Baekhyun mumbles.

 

Sehun gasps. "It was that bad?"

 

"I'll visit him in China tomorrow," Baekhyun announces. "He doesn't know yet that Chaehyun's dead. The doctors advised everyone not to tell him yet because it would affect his recovery."

 

"I'm sorry, baby," Luhan whispers into Baekhyun's ear, pulling him closer. "Everything's gonna be alright."

 

"I swear that woman is so salty. Why does she have to get herself involved with every gay men?"

 

Luhan pulls away with a horrified expression. "Baekhyun!" he scolds. "The poor girl's dead and this is what you're going to say about her?!"

 

"You can't blame me, Lu. I've been practically funding her life for two years just because I wanted her to shut the fuck up about that scandal. Thankfully, I haven't seen her face once after she  _attacked_  me in my old apartment and I was okay with everything. But then when I was ready to take responsibility of whatever we had, she just had to die. I'm going to fucking kill Tao when I see his fucking face."

 

"Calm down," Sehun gently says, patting his shoulder. "I know you're just saying all of this because you're drunk and frustrated."

 

Baekhyun takes a deep, steadying breath. "I just..." He slumps forward, leaning his forehead against Luhan's shoulder. "You both know that she's the _first and only girl_ I had sex with. That means a lot coming from someone like me who never takes a girl out on a date for sex. You know I only get seen with these girls for publicity and now the only girl I genuinely thought attractive is dead."

 

They stop responding for a bit until Baekhyun feels darkness consuming his conscious mind. The last thing he remembers is feeling either Luhan's or Sehun's arms carrying him upstairs towards the guestroom.

 

By morning, Baekhyun wakes up to a terrible headache. Thankfully, a glass of water and two pills are on the nightstand, waiting for him, with a note from Luhan that tells him to take them and head downstairs for breakfast. Baekhyun takes a quick detour into the bathroom first to wash his face and brush his teeth with his own toothbrush that he purposefully left here in Luhan's place in case emergencies like this would happen. As he stares at himself in the mirror, he cards his hands through his black hair, noticing that he's wearing one of Luhan's shirt and cotton tracksuit.

 

"Just how shit-faced was I to not remember anyone changing my clothes?" he mumbles to himself.

 

Downstairs, he's greeted by Luhan serving two plates of pancakes and bacons.

 

"Where's the brat?" he asks, sitting in his usual seat.

 

"That  _brat_  cleaned your puking mess on the staircase and changed your clothes. He says  _you're welcome._  But he already left for work." Luhan takes the seat in front of Baekhyun and stares. "Now, let's talk. Why are you such a coward that you had to send someone else to pick Chaehyun up in China?"

 

"I didn't," Baekhyun immediately snaps.

 

"Oh, yeah? What was  _Tao_  doing there, then?"

 

"He's been looking for Chaehyun after she disappeared. He didn't know I knew about Chaehyun's  _hideaway_  and because the idea of forcing her to marry me came up, I figured it's time for her to show herself again. Tao was her bestfriend. He would've been a great help to convince her to get back."

 

"And you really had to send him there before yourself?"

 

"I didn't send him there! He went there by himself."

 

"But you knew about it and never stopped him."

 

"I..." Baekhyun trails off, taking an angry bite from his pancake. "It would have been easier if they get their shits together first because that's where it all started," he admits, letting sprinkles of the pancake in his mouth rain on the table. "Tao introduced me to Chaehyun. I got her pregnant in a one night stand. She met another guy she seriously had feelings for and introduced him to her bestfriend  _but shit happened._  How fucking cliche. And that's what pushed her to blackmail me because she knew she had to get herself back somewhere else." He takes a sip of the coffee Luhan hands him. "Your coffee still tastes like shit, Lu. I'm surprised Sehun even drinks this cup of poison."

 

Luhan holds both of Baekhyun's hands to calm him down. He knows all too well that when Baekhyun's frustrated, he's going to go for the most irrational words. "Now, you understand the consequences of your actions, right?"

 

Baekhyun sighs before nodding and looking away.

 

Luhan touches Baekhyun's cheek. "When I gave you the idea of asking for Chaehyun's help, I didn't say you had to marry her."

 

Baekhyun looks up. "That could've been what she wanted.  _Stability._  Chaehyun was a practical person; between  _romance_ and  _luxury,_ she'd pick whatever buys her a Chanel bag surprise in the morning, or a Michelin Star dinner date at night. And you know I can very well cater to her lifestyle." Taking a deep breath, he pulls on his hair and shuts his eyes. "Just as long as she plays the role of a wife for this fucking board to stop pestering my father." He looks at Luhan straight in the eyes. "I swear he's grown more gray hair this month than he had collectively grown the entire year before."

 

"You're forgetting one tiny detail, honey." Luhan takes a sip from his coffee mug. "The board is looking for an  _heir_. Your bloodline. They're not looking for a  _wife_."

 

Baekhyun takes each of Luhan's words carefully as he finally realizes what his bestfriend is telling him. And when it all clicks in his mind, his small eyes bewilder.  _"You mean, I'd just get the custody of my son?"_

 

"It sounds weird coming from you but that's the idea. If you don't want to get married  _yet,_ at least let them know that you already have a child and it shouldn't be a problem now that you're his only parent left." Luhan frowns, as if remembering something. "Where's the kid, anyway?"

 

"I don't fucking know because I never really gave a fuck about these things before."

 

Luhan slowly nods. "At least, you've been giving Chaehyun the money to support this kid the entire time, right?"

 

Baekhyun thinks about it for a few seconds before answering. "I'm not sure, Lu. I mean, from what I've heard from Tao when he first stalked her there, he didn't see any kid with her and she didn't leave Korea with a kid, either. She probably left the kid here, somewhere."

 

"I thought she said she was disowned by her family? Where would she leave the kid, then?"

 

Leaning back, Baekhyun looks away to think briefly about it. "I have no idea. Maybe the Parks know something."

 

"Baek, I even doubt that they already know about Chaehyun's death. What would they know about the kid she left? For all I know, they might not be looking for her anymore or her kid."

 

"Are you suggesting that she left the kid in the hands of someone she's not related to?"

 

Luhan thinks about it for a bit. "Maybe she already left the kid in an orphanage or something. If that's the case, this would be harder."

 

"The business world isn't that big, Luhan. The Parks are no commoners. They lead the biggest law firms in the continent and one way or another, our paths have or would be crossing. If I want to find my kid, I'd start asking them. The problem is not when the kid is in an orphanage. The problem is if he's _with them_. Because then it's going to be one hell of a fight in court if I just suddenly show up, claiming to be the kid's father. They'd probably kick my ass, too, for being a jerk."

 

"And you probably deserve that, too, just in case."

 

"Come on," Baekhyun whines. "I thought we're bestfriends."

 

"That doesn't mean I'd tolerate your dick moves," Luhan scolds.

 

Baekhyun shrugs. "You're more than two years late in preaching."

 

"It's never too late to try and make up for it, though. What's your plan?"

 

Baekhyun takes a deep breath before letting out a small, "I don't know." He takes another bite of his pancakes, hearing the incessant ringing of his phone somewhere in the house. He can already feel that it's just his new secretary looking for him  _again_. "For now, I'd investigate a little and see if I can face the Parks. Probably, ask for forgiveness, too. If that's what it takes to get back what's rightfully  _mine_  in the first place."

 

"You're finally running those gears in your head," Luhan remarks, standing up. "But of course, you're Byun Baekhyun and you'd do anything in your power to get what's yours. Right?"

 

~

 

The following Monday, five days after Chaehyun's death, Baekhyun sits in his office, expecting a visit from one of the private investigators he sent out to get information about the Parks. His plans of visiting Tao in China all forgotten because of this. He needs to know if they have the kid, and figure out the best possible way to get him without going through a lot of trouble, hopefully.

 

He presses one on his hardphone on the first ring.

 

"Mr. Byun, a certain  _Seo In-guk_ is here."

 

"Let him in, Tiffany."

 

"H-how about Ms. Kim, boss? She would be here in two minutes and—"

 

"Just hold Taeyeon off and get back to work or you're fired."

 

Seconds after he ends the call with his new secretary, he sees a familiar man approaching his tinted glass doors, holding a manila folder under his arm. He's wearing a black-collared shirt under a gray sweater and white trousers. Like Sehun, he knows this man doesn't smile too often.

 

"In-guk. Long time no see," Baekhyun greets him with a smile.

 

The man remains impassive. "I was here yesterday, Byun. And with you, calling me, almost twenty-four hours a day for an update, I doubt I'd be able to move an inch to know those Parks from the inside."

 

"Are you saying you can't do it?"

 

In-guk scoffs, leaning his hands against Baekhyun's table with a steady gaze. _"I'm saying I need some space and a little more time,"_ he quietly says, mimicking Baekhyun's exact parting words from two months ago when he explained why he didn't want a relationship with him, or with anyone for that matter, after their blissful night. "The Parks have an incredible amount of information security. Maybe you've forgotten the fact that they're one of the most powerful families of lawyers and counselors."

 

Baekhyun stands up from his seat, mirroring In-guk's actions. "You know, you were actually one of the best fucks of my life, Mr. Seo. But I hope you're not feeling too personally attacked for seeing me everyday lately with the way you're glaring at me now." Baekhyun steals a quick peck on his lips from across the table. "Just do your job and we won't have to see each other again afterwards."

 

"You misunderstand, Byun. I don't hate seeing you. I just hate dealing with idiots most of the time. You're the biggest one, so far, and trust me, I've met a lot." Just then, Baekhyun feels the manila folder being slapped against his chest. "Don't take it personally but I wasn't even thinking about whatever happened to us anymore."

 

Baekhyun absently holds the folder with both hands, still staring at him. "What's this?"

 

"It's a folder."

 

"I know, asshole. I meant—"

 

"A little  _Park Chanhyun_  was registered to an international school for kids this morning," In-guk cuts him off. "The school is at least twenty minutes away from this building."

 

As In-guk explains this, Baekhyun turns to open the folder in his hands and gasps at the first page.  _"This... Is this him?"_

 

"Yes, that's him," In-guk confirms. "He was supposed to be enrolled for kindergarten but he took a pre-examination which showed that his intelligence level was above a kindergarten's. The child can spell his own name, basic colors, numbers, fruits, animals, and a lot more; so he was recommended an acceleration to first grade of primary education."

 

Baekhyun stares stunned at the photograph of a child with a mop of black hair. The picture was obviously taken from afar but Baekhyun can still see enough. "Who's this guy?" he asks, pointing at the  _tall man_ who's holding the kid's little hand. His face is a little blurry and his body's partly covered by the people walking around them. But he's sure as hell that the man is tall.

 

"Check the next page."

 

And Baekhyun does. The document is a copy of the school's registration with Park Chanhyun's complete details. It was signed by a parent or guardian under the name of...

 

 _“P_ _ark Chanyeol_.”

 

"That's probably his name but we don't know much about him yet," In-guk adds. "I already checked with the Parks' line of counselors and lawyers since these names are available in their public files. No  _'Park Chanyeol'_ came out. It turns out, our guy here is a very private person since his name won't appear on the family's registered members, too. As far as the school is concerned, they didn't ask a lot about the guardian's information because he paid the tuition fee in cash advance for  _six years._ That's a hell lot of money for someone who's not a lawyer."

 

"Maybe the family gave him the money?"

 

"Nope," In-guk denies quickly. "I already checked with your friend. Oh confirmed that no banking transactions happened for the Parks to release this big amount of cold cash recently. And, no, the Parks prefer being paid through wireless transfer whenever people need to pay them something so it's impossible for them to gather that big amount of cash to hand the school. They're people particular with their actions so they need their movements documented, as much as possible."

 

"What are you suggesting?"

 

"According to my sources, the Park parents are not in good terms with the son. I'm guessing that this Park Chanyeol we're dealing with is actually Chaehyun's  _brother_. Older or not, I can never tell. But I have no idea where he got the money from. I've been trying to dig about his occupational background but I always come up with nothing. See, this is exactly why I need you to stop squeezing me dry of updates. I need to be focused on learning more about them in order for us to understand what's really going on and with you, being a negative distraction all the damned time, we're not going anywhere."

 

"He must be doing some illegal shit, then," Baekhyun suspects. "Otherwise, how could he have paid for six years worth of school expenses? I mean, he's not even his son."

 

"What kind of a narrow-minded asshole are you? The man is taking care of your child, you should thank him."

 

Baekhyun looks up with a scoff. "You mean, he's doing what I'm supposed to do."

 

"Technically, you're supposed to take responsibility of the child since his mother's pregnancy, but we both know what kind of a person you are." In-guk gives him a sweet, mocking smile. "It's disappointing, really. Fortunately, the kid seems smarter than his father that I hardly believe he's actually yours. Although everytime I glance at his pictures, I'm having these internal battles because the kid looks  _exactly_  like you. Except that he's a little tall for his age."

 

"How can you say that when I can barely see his face in here?"

 

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" In-guk muses, fishing out his phone and scrolling through his snapshots of the kid.

 

Baekhyun steals a glimpse long enough for him to see a whole album full of those pictures, but In-guk quickly locks the screen.

 

"So now, you're interested in him?" In-guk scorns. "Remember when you didn't want him two years ago, according to your own stories?"

 

"You have more pictures of him?" Baekhyun asks, incredulous, deciding to ignore the snideful remark. The guy has more decent snaps of the child and he chooses to give Baekhyun something he can't even see clearly.

 

Smiling with mischief, In-guk leans closer. "It's the 21st century, Byun. Of course, I'd take unlimited pictures. I even have a video of him close enough for you to hear him speaking in flawless English."

 

"You mean you fucking have clearer images than this?"

 

In-guk's smile turns even wider. "I do."

 

"Well, then, may I have them, please?" Baekhyun seethes.

 

"I'm sorry, but, since you're being an asshole just minutes ago, and probably your whole life, too, I think I have the right to deny you this request. Have a great day, Mr. Byun. I'll call you when I find out something else."

 

And just like that, In-guk leaves him glaring at the door. He slams the manila folder on his desk before reminding himself of its contents. Quickly, he picks up the folder again and examines every available information, alternately staring at the beautiful child's photograph. He keeps doing this while walking around his broad office. Despite the photograph's lack of details, he knows the kid is beautiful.

 

"Chanhyun," he mumbles. With a small smile playing on his lips, he kisses the photograph.  _"See you soon, my son."_


	3. Set

**WARNING: A ChanBaek blind stalking battle ahead.**

**And, I just want to clarify that I don't have anything against _Irene_ or _Wendy_. I just needed the names.**

**\---**

 

"So... See you on Saturday?"

 

Chanhyun raises both of his arms for Chanyeol to carry him. "I'll miss you, daddy. Please, take a rest," Chanhyun murmurs close to Chanyeol's ear, both of them hugging each other tightly.

 

"I will, Hyunnie. _I will._ Now sleep and be a good boy, alright? It's already late."

 

Nodding, Chanhyun kisses his forehead, the tip of his nose, and then his lips. "Good night, daddy. Please leave before I cry again. I don't want you to see me crying."

 

Chanyeol swallows through the lump forming in his throat. Instead of leaving, he sits on Chanhyun's bed and pulls slightly away to look at his kid. "How about I wait until you fall asleep so I can be sure you wouldn't cry?"

 

Chanhyun's nose is already turning red and his small lips start quivering. Chanyeol can tell that the kid is just some words away from finally breaking down again. _"Okay. But close your eyes if I cry because I don't want you to see."_

 

Chanyeol nods at the kid's request, kissing the top of his head. "Alright, Hyunnie. For now, let's lie down, close our eyes and talk about what happened this morning." He smiles, thinking of a subtle way to distract both of them from another sad goodbye. "You did great in that school. Are you sure you want to study ahead of your age?"

 

Lying back, the kid finally smiles back at Chanyeol. "Are you scared I'd grow up faster, daddy?"

 

Chanyeol tickles his side, earning a fit of giggles from his kid. "You talk like you're _six years old._ You'd still be _my baby_ even if you grow taller than I am." He lies beside him under the duvet, letting the kid drape his small arms around him. "You can still change your mind. You know that, right? I just want you to enjoy every second of your childhood without any pressure."

 

"Don't worry, daddy. I'd still get my playtime with those kids from the _playroom_ ," Chanhyun reassures him, closing his small eyes. "I did great, didn't I?"

 

With the same level of enthusiasm, Chanyeol kisses his cheek. "That, you did. And I'm so proud of you."

 

"I knew it. If I study ahead, I can also teach them what I know after they walk out of the _playroom_. Right?"

 

With a light chuckle, Chanyeol closes his eyes, too. The kid thinks that the classroom for _nursery_ is a simple _playroom_ for children, which probably gave him the idea that it's not fit for the actual academic lessons.

 

When Chanhyun took an entrance exam this morning in a school that's approximately ten minutes away from the hospital where Chanyeol works, the kid surprised him with his advanced knowledge and asked his father for an exam that's _slightly difficult._ The instructor then decided to give him the diagnostic exam for a first-grader which the child aced with a _perfect score._ Chanyeol couldn't be any more proud, but he still didn't want the kid to go to school because of pressure. He wanted the kid to have fun, but it seemed like the child himself had other plans when he told his daddy to, _"Don't worry. This is what I've been waiting for. Please let me in ahead. I don't want to spend longer time in a playhouse."_

 

Chanyeol knows this all too well. The kid probably has more books; he barely sees him taking interests in toys, and his behavior is sometimes far advanced for his age. But despite all this, Chanhyun is still a kid and he doesn't fail to seem so whenever he chooses. He likes being all adorable when Chanyeol's around, playing jigsaw puzzles and building Lego town. And although Chanyeol has every right to choose for him, he chose to let the kid decide for himself first to see what happens. As early as now, Chanyeol wants his kid to experience the freedom to decide and do what he wants, so long as he knows it wouldn't harm the child.

 

Chanhyun is very keen to privacy, too, much like his father. He feels uncomfortable when someone walks into his room without giving his permission, since he knows he has the right to. This became a problem when Chanhyun started living with Mr. and Mrs. Park since the grandparents won't take it seriously. The poor kid is slowly getting used to locking himself in to avoid any disrespectful confrontations, which Chanyeol has argued over with his parents yesterday. _This is something that Chanyeol aims to fix soon._

 

_Which is exactly why when Chanyeol got notified just this noon—by the same school where Chanhyun registered—that someone asked personal details about them, he immediately talked to his closest cousin from his father's side—Park Bo-gum._

 

Chanyeol's own personal information is safe from public knowledge since he had his own name legally removed from his family lines. His private life is as smooth as he can get it to be, knowing the hospital he works with also takes good care of his information. He's not paying his personal counselors for nothing, but that doesn't mean he's going to take the situation lightly. _He has to know who's the bastard that's trying to know him under illegal stalking._

 

"Right," Chanyeol finally breathes out. "And maybe, help make the world a better place by being kind enough to respect other people. What do you say?"

 

Yawning, Chanhyun tightens his embrace on Chanyeol's chest. _"I'll do my best, daddy. Just promise you'd always be there to smile at me whenever I'm working on it."_

 

Chanhyun has been talking about _world peace_ and _kindness_ since he turned three—an idea he got from a children's book that Chanyeol sent him on the first week that they were away. Since then, the moral of the story has imprinted itself on Chanhyun's mind and he's determined to make the same big change, just like what the protagonist of the story did. And Chanyeol isn't going to stop him from dreaming of this because it's possible if every child can get the same influence. Not that he's being a sappy shit, but it's a pretty nice thought for a kid.

 

"I will always be with you, Hyunnie," Chanyeol whispers, kissing Chanhyun's forehead, cute button nose, and thin lips. _"Sweet dreams. I love you."_

 

 _"I love you more,"_ Chanhyun whispers back, drifting off to sleep. "See you soon."

 

An hour after making sure that his kid is already sleeping soundly, he carefully leaves the room, groping his chest pocket for his phone. He knows it's already almost midnight and he has yet to drive back to Gangnam, but his agitation can no longer wait. He dials Kyungsoo's number.

 

"Who the fuck... Park?" Kyungsoo answers with a sleepy voice. "What's up?"

 

"I'm sorry I ruined your sleep. I know we barely get rest but I really need to speak to someone or I'd go mad."

 

"That's alright," Kyungsoo dismisses. "You're _my bestfriend_. I'd be surprised if you never bothered me at a very inconvenient time."

 

"Thanks, Soo. You have no idea how troubled I feel today."

 

"Hold on. Give me a minute. I'd just brush my teeth."

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "It's not like I can smell your breath."

 

"Shut up. Are you still in Busan?"

 

Chanyeol hears some shuffling from the other line and guesses that Kyungsoo is probably starting to brush his teeth now. They are this comfortable with each other to talk even when they're in the middle of a disgusting routine or intimate moments alone. "It would probably take me about four or five hours to get back. I just tucked Chanhyun to bed so I stayed a little longer here."

 

"How's the school registration?" Kyungsoo asks in a muffled voice.

 

"I'd tell you more about it when we meet. Do you have a shift today?"

 

Both the muffled shuffling and the faucet's sounds stop. "Your cousin is taking out his childish anger on me," Kyungsoo starts. "He keeps ordering his own father to give us the same schedules and would act up whenever I'm around. You know, intentionally making mistakes and purposefully taking excessive breaks. It's annoying, really. I already submitted an incident report for insubordination but the chief told me the bastard would be suspended for three days if he approves of it, so I decided to take it back because I can't let that fucker take a good rest while I exhaust my ass working."

 

Chanyeol suspects that it has taken a lot of his bestfriend to voice out this puny complain so he doesn't resist the urge to tease him further. "Or maybe he's just going for the _obvious_. You know, trying to spend more time with you while I'm not around to assume he actually likes that you're alone with him."

 

"Don't be ridiculous. He barely even talks to me like how a normal person would."

 

"Which means he treats you in a _personally special way._ " Pausing a few seconds, Chanyeol finally asks, "Does it bother you, though?"

 

"What does?"

 

"I mean, Jongin. If he likes you, _hypothetically,_ are you alright with that?"

 

"Why me?" Kyungsoo whines.

 

Chanyeol snorts. "Just answer the damned question."

 

"Like, what would I even lose aside from my non-existent peace of mind?" the younger finally snaps. "I don't care if he likes me. Whether or not he does, it's not like it's my obligation to like him back, at least."

 

Chuckling, Chanyeol decides to end Kyungsoo's confusion. _"Fine. He likes you."_

 

Kyungsoo lets out an exhausted sigh, taking his sweet time before he finally admits, "I know, Chanyeol. I'm not stupid; he is."

 

"Well, yes, he _is_ stupid. He never told me that, though. I just figured it out."

 

"Come on. If  you, a mere observer, figured it out, don't you think I would get the hint, too? It's that psychological shit that Yixing keeps talking about."

 

"Ah, the _basic mechanisms of human action-reaction conflicts_. A jerk to everyone sometimes would only be nice to one person, and a nice person to everyone sometimes becomes a jerk to _an exception_. Jongin does qualify for the latter."

 

"He does. But that's not really the point." Chanyeol hears a door opening and closing on the other line before Kyungsoo speaks again. "He really couldn't accept the fact that you're on emergency leave for _five days._ "

 

"I didn't plan to. You know, I haven't even had a single day of rest yet and I'm back to work tomorrow night. Guess who's lucky?" Chanyeol muses with mock enthusiasm.

 

"Today's my off. Tomorrow night's the start of my shift, too. Chanyeol, do yourself a favor and sleep the remaining hours you have before working. Chanhyun needs you longer so keep yourself healthy and don't get sick."

 

Snorting, Chanyeol shakes his head. "I wonder why I'm not yet marrying you, Soo."

 

"Because it's not legal here and we both have no time to get out of the country just to get married?" Kyungsoo scorns.

 

They both let out chuckles at how ridiculous their conversation sounds.

 

"Seriously, though. You have to rest, Chanyeol. When you went to China to get your sister's remains, I was half expecting you to stay there for at least three days to rest."

 

"I can't. _It felt... suffocating._ I still don't know how to feel about her death. I envy Chanhyun's understanding on this one."

 

"What, you told him?"

 

"About _her?_ Yes."

 

There's a long pause before Kyungsoo asks, "What exactly did you tell him?"

 

Chanyeol takes a deep breath. _"That his mother was my sister and I'm not his real father. That she left when he just started talking coherently. That she's dead."_

 

Kyungsoo doesn't answer, but Chanyeol can hear the faint background noise so he goes on.

 

"He cried so much, you know. He cried a lot, I swear my own tears were pouring magically from his own eyes. And that's where it started kicking in. I realized, I was supposed to feel _pained_. I was supposed to feel _hurt_ because she was my sister."

 

"But?"

 

"But I'm _not_. What I feel right now is something worse. I'm so angry, and mad, and I don't know what else to feel. I have no idea how to handle my emotions anymore." Chanyeol lights up a cigarette while standing on the balcony, a habit he acquired _and_ lost during college. But with the turn of events lately, he can't help but get back to it and it's been a routine for him for the past five days. He knows he's gotta stop before Chanhyun catches him doing it. So for now, while it lasts, he's going to take it nice and slow. All lights inside the house—except the one in Chanhyun's bathroom—are off, giving the burning tip of his cigarette a nice, warm glow. It calms him, but he knows it also kills him slowly deep within. "And then there's Chanhyun who just cried his eyes out for a good hour. When he's done, he just told me things that kids aren't even _supposed_ to say."

 

"What did he say?"

 

"That he forgives her. _That he's thankful that she left him in my care, and that if she never left, I would never have treated him like he's mine._ And he told me..." Chanyeol pauses to take another lungful of smoke, feeling his cold hands shake. "He told me that I shouldn't let this mess up my peace of mind. But it's just... I don't know. _It feels like it's killing me more._ I mean, how can he be so forgiving and kind after what his mother did? How can he be so fucking matured, he's just _four,_ for chrissakes!"

 

Kyungsoo lets him take a few seconds to calm down before simply saying, _"Because he's your son, Chanyeol."_

 

The grip on his phone tightens as Chanyeol lets out a shaky breath. He hunches over the balustrade, closing his eyes. "I had his mother's body cremated. I didn't want anyone else to see her in that state after the car crash; _she looked horrible_. And Chanhyun wants me to scatter her ashes in my parents' backyard. Do you know how creepy that sounded coming from a kid?"

 

"Except, of course, Chanhyun has a kind explanation... which you're about to tell me," Kyungsoo remarks, making Chanyeol smile a little.

 

"He said he didn't want to leave my mom and dad but he didn't want to be away from me either. I told him we can't live here. He said we can leave his mother's ashes here so _someone can_ _watch over my parents_ while we're away."

 

"Well, shit. That _is_ a little creepy. He really said that?"

 

_"Yes."_

 

Kyungsoo sighs. "You never know. Maybe the kid's right. It can also be his own, little way to let both of you _move on._ It's creepy but it's thoughtful and I'm sure you're already considering it."

 

"I have considered it. The only problem is _how am I going to tell my parents?_ They don't even know about Chaehyun's death, yet. And I don't think the idea of spreading the ashes of the daughter they already disowned while she was alive would sound appealing to them. They've been acting a little _weird_ around me since yesterday, although we never really talked much in the past. It's just making me feel more uncomfortable being merely around. I swear, I can't fucking wait until I get out of here with Chanhyun, permanently."

 

"Define _'_ _weird'_."

 

"They kept asking questions as soon as I arrived. I'm just glad they're already too tired to talk when Chanhyun and I arrived here tonight."

 

Kyungsoo ponders. "What questions, exactly?"

 

"They're asking about my work. About you, about Jongin, about _Bo-gum._ Everything."

 

When Kyungsoo suddenly turns quiet, Chanyeol realizes his mistake and tries to ease out of it.

 

"Oh, shit. Did I just say Bo-gum? Shit, I did. I'm sorry, Soo. I'm just... really out of my usual self today, and everything around me is starting to—"

 

"No need to explain," Kyungsoo cuts him off. "I understand. And besides, _Bo-gum is the kindest among your family members..._ next to you and Chanhyun, of course. I don't even know how Jongin is related to you."

 

"You know, if it's any consolation, Bo-gum is kind of... _available_ now. He's done with internship and all the complicated shits. Maybe the two of you can figure something out. You'd make a really great couple."

 

"Sometimes, I don't understand how your brain works," Kyungsoo scorns. "Not merely an hour ago, you were selling me Jongin's intentions and here you are now, pushing me towards another person. Are you that desperate to be tied with me for a long time, Chanyeol?"

 

Chanyeol laughs heartily. "Jongin's pretty nice, too. But I'd rather you don't date any of them _yet_. You have to wait for me to find someone first because I don't wanna be the _embarrassed third-wheeling bestfriend._ "

 

"You're silly. I told you, you should've dated that nurse. What was her name again?"

 

"Oh. _Irene?_ "

 

"Is that the one who's shamelessly flirting with you whenever she gets the chance?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Nope," Kyungsoo snaps. "That's not the one I'm talking about. The _other_ girl. The one who kept giving you lunch boxes that you secretly pass to Jongin. What's her name?"

 

"You mean... _Wendy?_ "

 

"Yes, that's the one. Why won't you date her?"

 

"Because she doesn't seem to like kids."

 

"What?! How do you even know that?"

 

"There was this one time when a kid in ER kept wailing because of his sprained ankle. She hardly held back her temper and I was just silently _observing_ her in one corner."

 

"Oh, you mean, silently _'judging'_ her. Ugh. Cross it. Don't date that bitch. I'd rather you end up being gay than date someone that wouldn't love Chanhyun as much as you do."

 

"So date me, then."

 

"No offense, Park. I love Chanhyun but I already have my fair share of _Kims_ and _Parks_ , enough to last me a lifetime. My hands are full. Please don't add up to this conflict and be my bestfriend until we die."

 

Chanyeol lets out another laughter, louder this time. "I'm heading home. Go back to sleep, Soo. And thank you for making me feel better."

 

"Alright, anytime. Good luck and stop being a cheesy bastard. Call me when you're back."

 

"I will. Good... uhm... _Morning?_ Yeah, good morning. See you, Soo."

 

"Oh, wait! Is it midnight already?"

 

Chanyeol checks on his watch. "Some minutes past midnight. Why?"

 

_"Happy birthday, Park Chanyeol. Drive safely."_

 

Smiling, Chanyeol nods to himself. "Thank you for reminding me. I'll leave now, Kyungsoo. Bye."

 

Once Chanyeol is already in his car, searching for his glasses in the glove compartment, it's the first time he notices a small box, childishly wrapped with torn pages from a magazine, and a small scented paper folded next to it. He smiles to himself, picking the paper first and leaving the box untouched.

 

**♥I love you, daddy. ♥  
♥Congratulations on your birthday! ♥**

**♥—Park Chanhyun♥**  

To say that he's proud of the child's beautiful English and Hangul handwriting is an understatement. Especially when the kid spelled the words like a pro. For a kid in Chanhyun's age, this is already a great achievement.

 

He takes the small box and laughs freely to himself upon seeing Chanhyun's thoughtful gift with another mix of English letters and his name in Hangul below it that read...

 

 

 

Chanyeol lets out another laughter as he places Chanhyun's most innocent smile he's seen so far in the safety of his wallet _—the perfect smile that has been captured perfectly in this photograph._

  
~

 

The next day Baekhyun comes to work, he's greeted by a tensed Tiffany as soon as he walks out of the elevator into his office floor where only the two of them are allowed, and sometimes, some occasional _—yet most of the time uninvited—_ visitors.

 

"Mr. Byun, there's... T-there's this, uhm..."

 

"Speak, Tiffany," he absently says while checking some notifications on his phone. He turns his head to finally face her with a frown. "Where's my coffee?"

 

The girl just stares at him, dumbfounded. "C-coffee?"

 

Baekhyun heaves out an exhausted sigh. He's going to have to do this sooner or later since there's never really one secretary who lasted longer than two months with him. "That's it. You're fi—"

 

He's suddenly cut off by a stranger's voice. "Mr. Byun, I believe we haven't met."

 

_Well, speaking of uninvited visitors._

 

When Baekhyun whips his head towards the source of the unfamiliar voice behind him, he's standing face-to-face with a tall stranger in pristine suit, carrying a black leather case in one hand. "Uh... _Who are you?_ "

 

The guy gives him a polite bow before smiling. "Forgive me. I'm the representative from _Park and Kim LLC_." The stranger formally reaches a hand out to shake with Baekhyun's, staring into his eyes. _"Attorney Park Bo-gum."_

 

_Park. Another Park. Great. Wasn't it just yesterday when his head was filled with this name after seeing a glimpse of his son's picture for the first time?_

 

Baekhyun glances pointedly at Tiffany. "I didn't remember _having an appointment with a lawyer_ early in the morning."

 

"You didn't," the guy answers for his secretary, taking his neglected hand back with a warm smile. "I came here unannounced and I apologize but this is an urgent matter." He gives another bow as an apology.

 

"Listen, Gumbo. Or whoever you are. I haven't even had my coffee yet. If you want to have an appointment with me, you better go through the long process of asking for a schedule. I'm a very busy person, as you can see. I don't have a lot of time to waste—"

 

"Let me cut your words short so your time doesn't get wasted, then," the guy cuts him off again. "I came here because it has come to our attention that you are _running left and right investigations within my own family._ As a lawyer, I've made investigations of my own regarding this matter and it turns out that you were doing this out of personal gain. We do not, in any terms, have business with the Byuns or their company at this moment which, therefore, tells us that your investigations are unauthorized. _In short, it's illegal._ And we are taking immediate actions including—but not limited to—pressing charges due to _breach of human rights and privacy under the law._ We're giving you one last chance to withdraw all your unauthorized actions, or else, we'll see you soon in the court of law."

 

Lost in the sea of misunderstandings and stupid lack of coffee, Baekhyun stares at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

 

"Withdraw all your unauthorized investigations, Mr. Byun. Or else, we're taking legal actions against your misconduct. We wouldn't want the first interaction of our families to be like this, would we?"

 

"And who's to say I'm not gonna do the same?" Baekhyun refutes. "You technically trespassed my property. You're one to talk, guess who's suing who now?"

 

The man smiles. "Then I conclude that we do not have an accord. You may press charges for my smooth trespassing incident and worry yourself with explaining the negligence of your security team once we see one another in court. Maybe, lose a dollar or two in the process since people might start feeling unsafe for the building's lack of security foundation... _but that's nothing for a person like you._ Am I right, Mr. Byun?"

 

Baekhyun doesn't answer. _He's certainly under the state of an absolute befuddlement this time._

 

"I'm sure you have a lot of time to deal with this under a considerate civil procedure. You may not be asking for my permission but, yes, you may press charges against me. However, let me point out my personal knowledge in this field and how easily I can get away with this once the trial starts. You on the other hand... Well, we have all the necessary evidences we'd need, to point out your selfish mischief against my family. In that case, I hope your company provides you the best set of counselors. If you need one, let me help you find the best there is and just ask your secretary for my business card." The man gives him another smile that's slowly turning to be a mocking one. "We'll see you in court. Have a good day, Mr. Byun."

 

Fuming, Baekhyun follows the man's steps towards the conveniently waiting elevator _—the one that only Baekhyun is allowed to use—_ until the doors close. He turns to look at his now pale-faced secretary with a glare. "Get everyone from surveillance and security team in conference room D on the 17th floor within ten minutes."

 

"But Mr. Byun—"

 

"I said, _get everyone from surveillance and security in conference room D. 17th floor. Nine minutes and fifty-six seconds. T_ _ick-tock, Tiffany._ Screw this up one more time and your sorry ass will be thrown out the window."

 

The girl is now as pale as the white ceiling of their office, staring at him with glassy eyes.

 

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GET ALL OF THEM OR YOU'RE FUCKING FIRED!"

 

Finally, the startled girl scrambles to run into her own office to call on everyone that the boss is asking for. As soon as Baekhyun walks into his personal office, he sees a to-go cup of coffee on his table with a note on it.

 

_**“Just relax, Boss. —Jongdae”** _

 

Baekhyun takes a sip of the warm substance and grimaces, almost instantly spitting everything out. "Why can't anybody get my fucking coffee right?!" He rushes to his personal bathroom to flush the contents of the cup and throws the empty container into his garbage bin. He tears the mocking note, too, and throws the pieces of it across the room. He seethes, walking back towards the desk to turn his laptop on. While waiting, he fishes out his phone and dial Jongdae's number.

 

"Get your fucking ass in conference room D now. 17th floor," he says over the phone and ends the call as quickly as he started it. After swiftly preparing two slides, he takes his laptop in one hand and his suit jacket with the other, walking out.

 

"Everyone sitting their sorry asses in those expensive swivel chairs is a step close to being fired by this minute," Baekhyun announces in his usual domineering voice, entering the conference room and breaking its silence. "How many times do I have to tell you to take the goddamn security more seriously than your big-assed salaries?!" He grabs the string of the pull-down front projector screen, pulling it with a dangerously aggressive slide and roughly connects his laptop with a cord to the the front projector. He waits until the device warms up and a picture of a person appears as soon as it's on. "This," he seethes, pointing at the picture, "is _Kim Taeyeon._ She doesn't have any business being in this building so how in hell did she get in here yesterday?!"

 

Nobody answers in fear of being reprimanded.

 

He clicks to the next slide. "Now these are random strangers. Among these strangers are possible criminals. Among them are possible thieves, murderers, or serial killers. But how do we know that?"

 

Again, nobody seems to be brave enough to utter a single word.

 

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!"

 

"B-by... a-asking?" one of the brave _—but not necessarily smart—_ employees finally answers.

 

"You," Baekhyun points at the now terrified man. "Get the hell out of the chair. You're fired."

 

Lowering his head and in an attempt to not provoke the young CEO any longer, the man quickly stands up and runs for his life out of the conference room.

 

"Well, are there any other stupid answers you'd like for me to consider? Anyone? No one?"

 

This time, no one is just  _too brave_ to say anything.

 

"I want everyone to take this as a lesson to remember. This morning, not even half an hour ago, a man named _Park Bo-gum_ has confronted me about _my_ failure in establishing safety in my own damned building. Now, if only one or two of you are doing their damned jobs, this would have been avoided. Do you understand the consequences of your negligence? The man came up to  _my_ floor. MY FLOOR. Not even my mother would dare that without asking me!"

 

Everyone lets out low whispers of apologies but Baekhyun is having none of it. He glances at Jongdae who's just simply standing in one corner, observing everyone else with an amused smile on his lips.

 

"From now on, I don't care who the fuck they say they are, but if they don't have their names on my secretary's list of appointments, they're not allowed inside. Does everyone understand?"

 

Everyone sitting around the long glass table are nodding their heads.

 

"I NEED AN ANSWER!"

 

"Yes, boss," everyone else says in chorus.

 

"Meeting adjourned. Get your lazy asses out of here and do your jobs. OR YOU'RE FIRED!"

 

When everyone is already hurrying out of the conference room, Baekhyun spots Jongdae following everyone out.

 

"EXCEPT YOU, KIM JONGDAE. Stay here."

 

While waiting for everyone else to clear out the room, Baekhyun puts back the pull-down screen and disconnects his laptop to maximize his time.

 

"Good morning to you, too, Mr. Byun. What can I do for you today that I don't usually do for you all the time?"

 

"Well, maybe you can marry Taeyeon for once, if that changes anything?" Baekhyun sarcastically proposes, taking a seat.

 

"Baekhyun. Seriously. What's up your ass again?"

 

"Nothing. You're here because I'm close to firing you for sending me a cup of coffee that tastes like shit."

 

"I sincerely hope that you're joking, Baekhyun. Because I refuse to believe you've actually _tasted_ shit before. That would be odd."

 

"Alright, smartass. Maybe you'd like to make use of that brain to help me get my way around this _legal_ problem."

 

"Knew it." Jongdae takes a seat across him. "Shoot."

 

"Park and Kim LLC. What do you know about them?"

 

"I just know that they're big enough for that name to actually _appear_ on my _bar exams_. From what I know, most of their trials are successful." Jongdae crosses his arms on top of the table with a scowl. "You didn't get your ass in trouble with these people, did you?"

 

Baekhyun slams his forehead against the table, closing his eyes. "I kind of did."

 

"Well, fuck. This isn't gonna be easy for us."

 

"You're the head of my legal department. You should do something."

 

"But I have a hunch that this isn't about the company doing illegal shit, Baekhyun. I bet a month worth of my salary that this is just you royally fucking up with some people you don't really know. And if that's the case, you know it's not _my_ job as the company's employee to do something."

 

Baekhyun looks up at Jongdae, probably looking stupid because of what he just did to his forehead. "Be a good friend and help me out. You came from a big-assed firm, too. You wouldn't even be here if you didn't," Baekhyun almost begs.

 

Jongdae almost runs a hand through his hair before remembering that it's perfectly styled so he stops. "There's no way I'd risk my ratio against those monsters. Tell you what. If there's one thing that this firm is known for, it's their drive to get the truth out of people—whether it's their client or not. They're not known for being the  _Truth Serum Monsters_  for nothing."

 

"How does that fucking help?"

 

"Maybe you can still change their perspective of you. Just try to be honest. Tell them exactly what you want so you don't have to feel like shit. I have a feeling this is something personal. Was that Park Bo-gum your ex or something?"

 

"He's a gorgeous man but he's not one of  _those._ I was serious when I said I don't know him."

 

Sighing, Jongdae leans back in his chair. "What happened, exactly? And please, resist the urge to lie because I need to know everything in order for me to help you."

 

And so for an hour or more, Baekhyun takes his time telling his company's counselor of what's going on. From the one night stand, Chaehyun's disappearance, until he's telling the shocked Jongdae about his long lost heir. Which leads them to the situation he's in now.

 

"You mean to tell me that the kid is _blood-related_ to these people?"

 

"Yes, Jongdae. This is like the hundredth time I answered that stupid _—"_

 

"You fucked up big time, Baekhyun," Jongdae intervenes. "But here's what you have to do and you have to do this as sincerely as you possibly can. Do you understand?"

 

~

 

Baekhyun is sitting in his office, staring blankly on his laptop's screen. Just like what his friend and legal counsel has suggested, he's planning his next moves carefully, and this time, without involving any illegal spying or some shit. So he dials  ** _*1_**  on his hardphone and in a couple of seconds, Tiffany picks up. "Mr. Byun?"

 

"Set me up an appointment with Attorney Park. I need to talk to him as soon as possible."

 

In less than five minutes, Tiffany calls him back with an appointment. At least, Attorney Park isn't planning to waste his precious time by agreeing to meet the same day in a restaurant, not more than fifteen minutes of driving away from Baekhyun's office. Finally, he's seeing a little progress.

 

Upon arriving, he's immediately greeted by a waitress and lead to a more secluded area of the place. There, he sees the lawyer, with his back facing him, drinking a glass of water.

 

"Attorney Park," Baekhyun calls out, walking towards the seat across him. "We meet again."

 

Park Bo-gum stands up from his seat to greet him back. "Isn't the world full of positive karma? You're finally willing to talk."

 

"I don't wanna waste any of our time, Attorney. I came here because there's something _you_ need to know. I feel the need to explain my actions to someone who would understand them."

 

"I can give you my empathy if that's what you're asking, Mr. Byun. But that doesn't change the fact that you _inadvertently_ breached the privacy of another person who happens to be my client _and_  closest family member. You did not just stalk my family; you also threatened me, which is another case, but that's besides the point. I just want you to know, before anything else, that you're messing up with the wrong family. And for that, I feel sorry for your misfortune."

 

"You misunderstand. This _Park Chanyeol_ that I've desperately  _stalked_ _—_ if that's how you want to put it... _He has my son._ "

 

At that, Park Bo-gum finally lets a different expression dominate his entire persona. He doesn't look nervous or angry; it's just different from his sunshine smiles. But now more than ever, the guy chooses to be impassive. "Maybe you'd like to elaborate more on that matter."

 

" _Park Chanhyun._ He's four years old now and I'm not sure if this Park Chanyeol really has him, but I'd like to bet my life on that. Park Chaehyun—we had a thing and it didn't work. But then two years after, she showed up at my door, telling me that we... I don't know, you obviously understand where this conversation is going."

 

Eventually, the lawyer's smile is back with more mock. "I'm sorry, Mr. Byun. But it doesn't excuse your behavior and my family feels threatened of your illegal investigations. You might want to try to persuade the judge with this alibi but in our case, we'd still proceed with our plans. We'll see you in court, Mr. Byun."

 

The guy starts excusing himself but Baekhyun almost screeches in desperation, _"I just need to see my son, dammit!"_

 

Stopping on his way, Park Bo-gum turns to walk back to their table with a grim expression. "Are you even sure of what you're talking about?"

 

Baekhyun runs both hands through his hair in frustration. "Well, one way or another, I have to find out, don't you think?"

 

Without even sitting back down, the lawyer fishes out his phone from his pocket and dials a number quickly. _"Are you busy?"_ he asks whoever it is on the other line.

 

Feeling completely out of sorts, Baekhyun just stares at the guy.

 

_"I'm sending you an address. You have to show up within fifteen minutes."_

 

On a normal day, Baekhyun admires people who are as smooth and swift as himself when it comes to cutting the bullshit. But right now, he feels uneasy being around someone who possesses the same trait. Minutes pass by in awkward silence; at least, the man is already back in his seat, playing or texting on his phone. Within these minutes, Baekhyun briefly wonders what's going to happen now that more and more people are getting involved. He's starting to ask himself the same question that Jongdae left him to ponder about.  _What exactly is he getting himself into?_

 

Not even fifteen minutes later, he feels another rabbit hole forming when the same waitress escorts a stranger towards their table. Baekhyun squints his eyes at the familiar figure carrying a brown leather satchel over one of his shoulders, realizing that it's possibly the same man holding _his_ son's hand on that half-assed taken photograph. The man is wearing a simple white button-down, first two buttons undone, sleeves pulled up to his elbows, tucked to a pair of black dress pants. He expected the person to be tall, alright.

 

But he didn't expect him to be...  _this good-looking, it's fucking offensive._

 

Baekhyun sucks a lungful of air before standing up. He looks up at the tall man just as the lawyer is standing up, too, and notices how the stranger is still some inches taller than Park Bo-gum.

 

"So... are you another representative or something?" Baekhyun tries to clarify. Now that some words are out, he's immediately lost in those dark brown eyes—the most beautiful and genuine pair he's ever seen.  _And he's seen a lot, intimately, to compare them with._

 

The stranger gives him a skeptical once over before turning to look at the lawyer. _"Is this him?"_

 

_And, God, if that voice isn't the definition of an exodus towards sinful fantasies..._

 

The lawyer merely nods and Baekhyun... well, Baekhyun can only stare right now.

 

"What did he tell you?" the stranger asks the lawyer again.

 

_God, that deep voice. Seriously._

 

It's almost insulting Baekhyun how the man is making it clear that he's not giving him an inch of attention. He tries hard, but in the end, his lips win over when he starts speaking snidely, "I can hear you, you know."

 

The two men finally turn to look at him, both with similar unreadable expressions.

 

"It's alright," the lawyer tells the other guy with a gentle pat on the shoulder. "You can answer his question."

 

But the stranger's gaze is now completely piercing through his soul as he openly stares right back into Baekhyun's eyes, still with those unreadable pair of his own. "No, I'm not a representative of anything," he eventually confirms.

 

Baekhyun takes a glance in Bo-gum's direction before finally asking the stranger his own version of a stupid question, _"Who... Who are you?"_

 

The stranger reaches out a hand politely to shake his and Baekhyun is just simply too _compelled_ to ignore it this time.  _"I'm Park Chanyeol."_


	4. Net

**WARNING: Rusty Mandarin. T^T**

**\---**

 

 

When his cousin, Bo-gum, interrupted his sleep with a phone call, he had half the heart to get mad at him. His cousin knew that there are only two acceptable excuses to call his personal number.

 

First, _anything about Chanhyun._

 

Second, _emergencies._

 

But when Bo-gum finally told him what's going on, he settled that his cousin, for the first time, hit both excuses with a clear jackpot. Especially with the follow up messages that came after Chanyeol quickly set his hair in its usual comma style...

 

 **From Boggs:** **_Ziplocks and a couple of cotton swabs—bring them, too. We're not sure what this asshole is on._**

 

 **From Boggs:** _**Hurry up. My patience with this man is wearing thin. You don't want him dead before you see him. He's annoying.**_

 

 **From Boggs:** _**He's cute, though.**_

 

 **From Boggs:** _**But of course, Kyungsoo's still more cute, you know. If only this little shit didn't look like a bigger (yet still tiny) version of Chanhyun. Can you believe that?**_

 

 **From Boggs:** _**This dipshit practically kicked me out of his building this morning after my best efforts of reaching out to him. Now, he wants to talk. He probably did his assignment now by knowing the kind of Pokémon he's dealing with. Kkkkkk.**_

 

He doesn't bother with the text messages from Bo-gum anymore, opting to hurry up instead. He places three pieces of medium-sized ziplocks in his leather bag with some cotton swabs, knowing exactly what his smart cousin is planning to use it for. As he drives his way towards the restaurant, his anxiety grows heavier, too.

 

He knows that some guy is claiming to be his son's _biological father._ And even after Bo-gum already warned him, he still didn't believe it until now. His first impression of the black-haired stranger is...

 

_Wow. He really does fucking resemble Chanhyun._

 

He finds it hard to talk to the small guy, too. Because no matter how much he hates to admit it, with just one look, he's already certain that this, indeed, is _Chanhyun's biological father._ And whatever he's planning for showing up _just_ now, Chanyeol is just as sure that it isn't good. So before his undecided emotions take an impossible turn again, when Bo-gum reassures him that it's okay, he starts talking directly to the man by answering his initial concern with, "No, I'm not a representative of anything."

 

That seems to confuse the guy even more, though. "Who... Who are you?"

 

He reaches out a hand and finally introduces himself after trying to deliberately ignore the guy. He has a hunch that by simply saying his name, this man would immediately recognize who he is. After all, isn't he the same creepy stalker who spied on him and his personal details?  _"I'm Park Chanyeol."_

 

The petite male just stares at him before regaining composure, accepting his hand. "I'm Bacon—I mean, Baekhyun! _Byun Baekhyun._ "

 

_So this is the freaking culprit. Byun Bacon. He's so tiny. If he isn't such a contemptibly obnoxious person for leaving his responsibilities behind, he would've been adorable._

 

Bo-gum leans closer to his ear to whisper, "He's a well-known CEO. Not bad, huh?"

 

Chanyeol subtly elbows his cousin, deciding to humor the petite male, instead, with the needed conversation. "Can I have a piece of your hair?"

 

The man seems stupefied at first, frowning at him. "Excuse me?"

 

_And, boy, does he look so much like his little son._

 

Chanyeol walks closer to the still stunned guy, lifting a hand close to the back of his head. With that very little conscious sense he still has in his brain, and their distance— _or lack thereof,_ he distinguishes the light scent of strawberries from the small guy's hair. "May I?" he asks.

 

The guy blinks up at him first and it's starting to frustrate Chanyeol how everything about this small guy is _exactly like Chanhyun._ The way he blinks, the porcelain-like skin, the curve of his pinkish thin lips, the adorable nose, and sleepy-looking eyes. And now that Chanyeol has gotten closer, he takes note of the smaller's mole, too. He remembers Chanhyun having the same, barely noticeable mole under the corner of his lower lip while this guy has his above the corner of his upper lip. He stares at it longer than necessary, before the sound of Bo-gum clearing his throat brings him back to the task at hand.

 

"Can I get a sample of your hair?" Chanyeol repeats.

 

Nodding, the petite male closes his eyes as Chanyeol takes about three or four strands of his hair, all at once. The guy winces but doesn't say anything.

 

"And just to make sure, can I get a sample of your _buccal cells,_ too?"

 

Now Baekhyun looks up at him with a scowl which reminds him, _this is how Chanhyun looks like, too,_ whenever he's confused of something. "My... _what?_ "

 

"Saliva. I need your saliva."

 

"That's..." He pauses to frown some more. "That's disgusting. But whatever. How do you propose we do that? Should I just... I don't know, spit on your hand?"

 

Despite being in their own bubble, they both turn to glance at Bo-gum when they hear him snickering. The lawyer is now covering almost half of his face while trying to stifle his laughter. Chanyeol decides to end Baekhyun's misery by looking back. "Hopefully not. Here." After placing the strands of hair carefully in a ziplock, Chanyeol hands him another one that contains sterile white cotton swabs. "Just dip at least three of them in your mouth, between the inside of your cheek and molar. Either left or right. Whichever makes you feel comfortable."

 

"Well, aren't you being cute?" the petite male snaps. "How does _sucking_ cotton on sticks make one feel comfortable? These things are used for cleaning the ears!"

 

"Oh, God," Chanyeol mumbles, massaging his forehead. "This is the weirdest conversation I've ever had." He clears his throat and decides to drop the modesty a little. "Look, you don't have to  _suck_ them. Open your mouth, let me make it easier for both of us."

 

"Nope, I'd rather suck them than have you looking at me like that," Baekhyun says, taking the ziplock. "Are these clean?"

 

"Now, why would I want to give you dirtied cotton swabs? I'd take the other ends in my mouth, if it eases your mind," Chanyeol scorns with an impassive face.

 

The other man raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

 

"No, not really. They wouldn't need my DNA mixing with yours."

 

The smaller scowls again. Chanyeol concludes that he does that a lot. "Wait. How do I know you're not doing this to set me up for a crime scene or some shit?"

 

And he starts losing it. "Well, Mr. Byun, _how do I know_ you're not just here to convince us with your _pretty face_ and then _kidnap my kid_ afterwards?"

 

Gaping, Baekhyun runs out of words, blinking up at him.

 

"Do you want to see the kid or not?"

 

When the man just stares, Chanyeol snatches the ziplock out of his hands. He takes this opporunity to hold the smaller man firmly by his jaw while he's still in a state of surprise. He places the tips of all three of the cotton swabs, _quickly yet gently,_  into the man's mouth. Or more accurately, in between the left molar teeth and the inside of his cheek, earning him weak protests from the shorter.

 

"Thank you for your cooperation," Chanyeol says, placing the cotton swabs in the safety of the ziplock, choosing to ignore the dirty looks that the smaller is throwing at him. After carefully putting all his needed materials in his bag, he turns to look at his cousin. "I'll see you around, Boggs."

 

Bo-gum nods. "Alright. Oh, and... Happy birthd—"

 

"Later," Chanyeol cuts him off, making a gesture of a phone call. He steals a short glimpse at the other man who's just looking at them in confusion before turning back to face his cousin again. That stranger has stalked him and it's not gonna be safe to let him know about Chanyeol's birthday. "I'll call you."

 

"Wait," the petite male calls out, rather annoyed, before Chanyeol can walk out of earshot completely.

 

He looks back at the man who now seems to have gathered his wits back. "What?" Chanyeol asks.

 

"What do you mean 'what'?! How do we get in touch again?!" he half-snaps, half-whines. "We still need to talk about—"

 

Chanyeol cuts him off shortly with, _"We don't."_ He glances at his watch before looking back at Baekhyun again. "If you need anything from me, you can talk to my lawyer. Otherwise, just wait for at least _seventy-two hours_ for the paternity test results to come up. Have a good day, _Mr. Byun Bacon._ "

 

The other male glares before Chanyeol hears him snarling, "That's not my fucking name, asshat! And just so you know, I hate being _manhandled_ like that. _I'm suing you for harassment..."_

 

The man keeps complaining until the sound of his voice fades in Chanyeol's hearing—he's not in the mood to spare the whining man another second. With this, he takes his leave before he can say something that isn't smart, no matter how tempting. Thank God, the little guy is wise enough not to follow him out. He's losing all of his shit just by standing face-to-face with the person who has no idea what trouble he went through because of his reckless actions. And the man even had the guts to act all snappy, demanding, impatient, and uncooperative.

 

~

 

"Chanyeol, you're... early. _Too early._ What are you doing here?" Yixing, a senior Psychiatrist from their hospital's Psychiatric Ward and coincidentally the kindest sunbae, greets him upon arrival. "Your shift isn't starting until seven _in the evening_ , right?"

 

"I'm here for an important task, hyung. Have you seen Dr. Song?"

 

Scratching his nape, Yixing gives him an apologetic smile. "Uhm... Who's Dr. Song again?"

 

"Hana. Song Hana."

 

"Oh, Hana's not here yet. You need any help?"

 

Chanyeol holds up a finger when he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket and excuses himself for a minute. "Mom, are you there?"

 

"We're already at the airport. It would take them an hour to get there in Seoul," his mother tells him. "You don't usually let Chanhyun get into planes. What's going on?"

 

"An hour is fine," Chanyeol says, dismissing the question. "Just make sure Chanhyun gets here safely." After ending the call, Chanyeol looks back at Yixing who's now staring at him with a worried face. "Hyung, I need an immediate help from our lab experts. Do you know who's on duty in our lab for DNA?"

 

Yixing checks on his watch. "You know, it might take a lot of time if you ask for the people on duty because they have a lot on their tables for now. It's that time of the year again when people need to get a lot of tests done. How about we go directly to our senior CG?"

 

Chanyeol nods, rubbing his left eye with the heel of his palm. "Is Dr. Lee around?"

 

Smiling, Yixing gives him a friendly pat on his shoulder. "He's not but he will be in a few," the guy answers, fishing out his phone from the pocket of his lab coat. After a few taps on his phone and some seconds, he starts talking to someone. _"Taemin, I have an emergency here and I need you... Well, I'm letting you and Jongin borrow that dance video you've been asking for if you—Okay. Can you make it here within the hour?"_ Yixing smiles his charming dimpled smile at Chanyeol who's just staring at him, puzzled. _"That's more like it, Min. Oh, and hurry up, Minho still has at least two hours remaining for his shift... Nothing, I just thought you'd be interested in bothering him again... Awesome! Take care."_

 

Chanyeol's jaw drops after Yixing ends the call.

 

"Problem solved," Yixing cheerfully announces.

 

Without any warning, Chanyeol drapes his arms around Yixing tightly. "Thank you so much, hyung! I'll make it up to you, I swear."

 

"Well, it's nothing, Chanyeol. But to make it up to me, please get some sleep in your office. You look really tired, no offense." Yixing looks around before asking, "It's not like I can _unhear_ your conversation with your mom, because you were literally standing right in front of me when you were talking to her, but are you expecting them to be here?"

 

"Not exactly my mom. But I bet she's sending a bunch of bodyguards and a nanny with Chanhyun." Chanyeol thinks that, since Yixing is being a big help, maybe he deserves a little knowledge of what's going on. After all, he holds the _'_ _Most Understanding'_ and _'_ _Most Patient'_ paperless awards in this place. "You know, Chanhyun's real father just showed up."

 

Yixing looks surprised for a second before furrowing his eyebrows. "After all these years, he just shows up now? Why?"

 

"That's what I don't know yet but I won't just trust him with Chanhyun until I know exactly what he wants with him."

 

Holding him by his shoulders, Yixing gives him a sympathetic smile. "How do you feel about it?"

 

Chanyeol looks away as he tries to bravely face this billion-dollar wonder. Because he knows that by the end of the day, Chanhyun deserves to choose his real father over him, and he doesn't have the right to hold back the kid. The question is, how exactly does he feel about it? He knows it's not gonna be easy. But would it be worth all the tears if he eventually lets go? Will Chanhyun be happy?

 

"You know what, you really need to rest and forget about all of this for now," Yixing tells him. "Just think about it when you've had at least an hour more of sleep."

 

"But—"

 

"Don't worry, I'll wake you up as soon as Chanhyun arrives. Or Taemin—whoever comes first."

 

And that seems to have done the trick. Chanyeol nods eagerly, giving Yixing one last hug. "Thanks, hyung. I owe you."

 

"You're welcome, Chanyeol. Just think of this as my _gift._ "

 

Chanyeol pulls away in surprise, turning speechless.

 

Yixing chuckles. "You didn't really think I'd forget, did you?"

 

"You're going to make me cry."

 

"Stop being so dramatic. _Happy birthday, Chanyeol._ Now go ahead and take that rest."

 

It's not long after his conversation with Yixing that the usually at ease Dr. Park Chanyeol is seen running along the hallway to his office. As soon as his back meets the soft fabric of his long couch, his eyes automatically shut close.

 

_The only thing he remembers is seeing the grown up version of Chanhyun's eyes in his mind._

 

~

 

"How dare he treat me like that?!" Baekhyun fumes, throwing his suit jacket on top of his table as soon as he walks back into his office.

 

Luhan is walking right behind him, waving and smiling at Tiffany who's trying her best to seem as invisible as possible in Baekhyun's eyes. But of course, Baekhyun notices everything. Including how Luhan is trying to take this matter lightly instead of feeling empathic towards his situation.

 

"Are you even listening to me, Luhan?!"

 

Raising both of his hands in defense, Luhan takes a step back, closing the glass door behind them with a kick. "You barely told me anything, baby. You just called me to get here as soon as I can, that was thirty minutes ago. And all you said was 'how dare he treat me like that'. Man, I don't even know who we are talking about here."

 

_"Park fucking Chanyeol, that's who."_

 

Luhan takes a seat in Baekhyun's mini lounge, crossing his legs. "And who the fuck is that?"

 

"He's Chaehyun's brother and he's an _asshole_. That's all you need to know."

 

"Wait. You met with the Parks?!"

 

"I met two of them and, already, my mental stability is  _deteriorating._ " Baekhyun paces around. "I can't believe _my son_ is related to those asshats. What if _my son_ grew up to be like them?!"

 

"Whoa. Relax," his bestfriend tries to console him, but frowns upon his own realization. "You know, hearing you refer to some kid as _'my son'_ still freaks me out a little. Like, seriously. _The Byun Baekhyun._ Can you imagine?" Luhan shakes his head, as if to emphasize his point.

 

"I can't believe it, too, but this shit I'm going through is enough proof. It's happening and it's very real," Baekhyun snides.

 

Luhan snorts. "Have you even seen him already? The kid, I mean."

 

"I'm planning to take it _one stubborn Park_ at a time," Baekhyun mutters. "Think about it, Lu.  _He's a kid._ He's probably gonna be all the more childish than the older ones of his kind. And besides, I can't even handle my own tantrums. How am I supposed to handle another person's?"

 

"You may be wrong about the kid, you know." Luhan turns thoughtful for a moment. "How did you end up meeting with them, anyway?"

 

Baekhyun takes a deep breath. "I made careful investigations but apparently, In-guk is being too obvious."

 

"In-guk? Seo In-guk, the criminal profiler?"

 

"Sehun's friend, yes," Baekhyun confirms.

 

Luhan looks genuinely shocked. "Hold on. How the fuck are you even acquainted with him?"

 

"We fucked once, and that automatically made us intimately _acquainted_ by default," Baekhyun admits nonchalantly.

 

"Holy fuck. What?!" Luhan screeches.

 

Baekhyun throws a random folder he first touches from his desk towards Luhan. "Can we not talk about this now? Or ever? Because I'm having a mental breakdown here and you're just fucking sitting there, mulling over the less important things."

 

"Fine," Luhan finally reassures him. "Just... tell me more about the Parks."

 

"Like I said, I made investigations and In-guk was supposed to be subtle about it. The Parks caught him on it and I'm not sure how they knew it was me. The Park lawyer came up to me this morning as soon as I arrived, preaching me about invasion of privacy and some shit. They obviously don't appreciate the fact that I've made investigations on this _Park Chanyeol_ who seems to be in charge of the kid. Apparently, In-guk was as obvious as an amateur."

 

"Or maybe he did that on purpose to annoy you," Luhan sneers. "I know you like the back of my pretty hands, baby. And we both know your flings don't _usually_ end up with good terms because you suddenly turn into an asshole by morning."

 

"Are you still not done yet with your salty reaction about In-guk? Because I can tell Sehun how you practically fantasized that man before you realized you wanted him instead, you know."

 

"No, you don't have to do that," Luhan answers quickly, getting on his feet to stop Baekhyun from his endless pacing by holding his shoulders. "Look. I think you just started off the wrong foot with these people. Maybe you can still redeem yourself by showing that nice bunny side of yours and pretend like you're sorry."

 

"That's not even the point, Lu!" Baekhyun snaps. "Now, _Attorney Park_ thinks I'm a stalker of _daddy Park_. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?!"

 

"Wow. Not even a month yet, and we're already on nicknames. Is he really a _daddy_ , though?"

 

Baekhyun shoves his arms away. "He's an asshole!"

 

"Oh God. He's attractive, isn't he?"

 

Baekhyun doesn't answer and chooses to continue with his pacing.

 

"I knew it!" Luhan almost squeals.

 

"Shut the fuck up."

 

"You're getting all worked up about it because the asshole is actually _attractive_ and it makes you uneasy," Luhan rambles on. "Because what else makes Baekhyun all grumpy and irritated but men he can't take home at night? God, I'm a genius."

 

"Stop it, Luhan!" Baekhyun barks at him. "No, he's totally unattractive. He's..." If Baekhyun is being honest with himself, he really can't remember a single thing that's unattractive about Park Chanyeol. But he can't be all that honest with Luhan especially when he's right about Baekhyun again. "He's totally ugly. He's got big ears and big eyes and ugly lips. His hands are rough, too."

 

Technically, Baekhyun is not _exactly_ lying about his description of Chanyeol. But that doesn't mean he doesn't find these things attractive on that man, which makes everything else more frustrating for him. Of all people, it has to be an _offensively attractive_ person that he has to go against when the matters become messier. Why can't he just simply fuck his way out of this, like literally? It would have been easier if Park Chanyeol was a stupid person. Maybe, then, he can just give him something and everyone else walks away with the things they need, like how it usually works out for other situations. It turns out, the man is a lot more than what Baekhyun has initially judged him to be.

 

~

 

_"Daddy..."_

 

Chanyeol feels light feathery kisses all over his face and smiles to himself at the familiarity of it.

 

_"Daddy, wake up. I'm here."_

 

Chanyeol lets out a low chuckle before taking the child in his arms, lifting him on top of his body, still with his eyes closed. "More kisses or I'll fall asleep again."

 

Giggling, Chanhyun complies, leaving him kisses. "You smell like chocolates, daddy," Chanhyun cheerfully remarks in between.

 

"You always say that whenever you wake me up," Chanyeol mumbles, opening an eye. "How long have you been here?"

 

Chanhyun gives him one last kiss on his still closed eye. "Not long. Uncle Yixing taught me some Mandarin."

 

"That, I did," Yixing's familiar voice says from across the room. Chanyeol turns to smile up at him, seeing the man smiling right back while leaning against a wall. He's no longer wearing his white coat. "And I'm so surpised he learns things easily."

 

Sitting up, Chanyeol raises an eyebrow to challenge the kid, still keeping him in his embrace. "Really? What did you learn?"

 

Chanhyun glances at Yixing first who just nods at them. He takes a deep breath, clearing his throat.  _"Zaoshang hao. Ni chifan le ma?"_

 

Chanyeol gapes at Yixing in disbelief. "Did he just ask if I have eaten?"

 

Chanhyun seems equally surprised when Chanyeol looks back at him with a proud smile. "Daddy understands Mandarin, too?"

 

 _"Dang ran!"_ Chanyeol answers.

 

Chanhyun looks like he's about to grow rainbows and unicorns by the way his face lights up. But just as soon, he pouts.  _"Wo-de zhong-wen bu hao."_

 

Yixing and Chanyeol starts laughing because of how adorable Chanhyun looks like. _"Ni de pu tong hua jiang de hen hao,"_ Chanyeol tells him. _"Zuo de hao!"_

 

With another pout, Chanhyun rests his head on Chanyeol's chest. "I don't know what that means," he mumbles.

 

Chanyeol just smiles to himself, embracing the kid tightly. Yixing takes delight in explaining things further. "Your daddy said your Mandarin is good so you don't need to worry. You did great, Chanhyun."

 

Just then, Chanyeol's office door opens to a worried Jongin. "Chan-chan?"

 

Chanyeol smiles apologetically at him. "How are you?"

 

"I've been going through the most horrible times while you were gone. Look, it's not even my duty yet, but then Taemin told me you're here so I ran like crazy just to catch you. What happened?! Why were you on leave and—Hello, _little Chan-chan!_ " he waves his hand at the small kid with a fond smile on his face, completely forgetting about his rants. He rushes to pick up Chanhyun from Chanyeol's hold. "I missed you!" Then he rains kisses on the kid's face. "Why weren't you calling your favorite uncle Nini?"

 

Chanhyun giggles. "I've missed you, too, uncle Nini."

 

Jongin looks over Chanhyun's shoulder to glare at Chanyeol. "You owe me an explanation and... What's your business with Taemin?"

 

"Don't be such a jealous brat, I just need to ask him a favor." Chanyeol stands up from his seat to take his satchel from the table. "Come on, let's..." Chanyeol trails off, feeling suddenly lightheaded.

 

Yixing is standing right next to him for support in no time when he almost loses his balance. He takes Chanyeol back to the long couch and sits him there.

 

"Are you alright?" Jongin asks.

 

"Yeah, just... a little dizzy." He feels a little guilty after seeing the worried faces of the other three around him, especially Chanhyun's. "Stop giving me those faces. I'm fine, I swear."

 

"Look, why don't you take some more rest, and leave Chanhyun to me and Taemin for an hour. We'll go out for an ice cream. What do you say, buddy?" Jongin asks the kid in his arms.

 

Chanhyun, being smart as always, catches on the message and nods. "Can I get chocolate?"

 

"You can get anything," Jongin promises him with a childish grin. He turns to look at Yixing. "Hyung, is it okay if you stay with him a bit?"

 

"Of course," Yixing says with a smile. "But if you're going to that ice cream shop across the street, I suggest you try the  _Unicorn Scoop._ It's delicious."

 

"Hyung, you can go with them if you want," Chanyeol suggests. "I'll be alright here, I promise. I'm literally in a hospital."

 

"People die in hospitals everyday," Jongin retorts.

 

"No, it's okay, Chanyeol. Besides, I can't have three scoops of ice cream in one day," Yixing reassures him.

 

Chanhyun looks at him with confusion. "Why not, uncle?"

 

Yixing smiles at the kid. "Because then, the _unicorns_ will run out of _rainbows_ if I exhaust them, honey," he sweetly says with a wink, making Chanhyun smile, too.

 

Now, Chanhyun might be a smart kid and usually thinks ahead of his age, but that doesn't mean he doesn't take light humor whenever people talk to him like this. He's still a kid, after all, and Chanyeol finds that adorable. "Give me a kiss before you leave," he demands.

 

Jongin carefully puts Chanhyun down to stand on his own feet before the kid hurries to his father. Chanyeol laughs as Chanhyun gives him multiple kisses all over his face. "Just sit here, okay? I'll be right back, I promise," the kid whispers, running back to Jongin with a bounce in his steps. The idea of ice cream is obviously making him excited.

 

After Yixing sees them out, he walks back to give Chanyeol another worried face. "What's wrong?"

 

"I told you, I'm alright, hyung. _Buyao fang zai xin shang,_ " Chanyeol tells him with a smile. "But thank you."

 

Yixing then gives Chanyeol a mischievous smirk. "I didn't know you can _still_ speak Mandarin."

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "I didn't say I couldn't. My Mandarin's a little rusty now, what with the mix of my study in basic Cantonese vocabulary, but the language is something I can never unlearn."

 

"Yeah, I remember I used to hear you rapping in Mandarin to annoy Kyungsoo while you were still interns," Yixing recalls. _"My cousin really rubbed off on you, didn't she?"_

 

Chuckling, Chanyeol nods. "Quite literally _and_ figuratively, yes. How's _Wu?_ "

 

"Well, _Leifan_ is... She's still very...  _Chinese_ , if that's what you're asking," Yixing answers with another dimpled smile.

 

"You mean she's _still_ the same. I knew she'd never change."

 

Yixing takes a seat across him. "When was the last time you talked to her?"

 

With a shrug, Chanyeol looks back at Yixing. "I don't know. Before Chaehyun disappeared, I think?"

 

"You know, you never really told me about it, and neither did she. I don't want to get in your business but if you feel the need to talk to anyone about it, I'm just here, alright?"

 

Chanyeol nods. He thinks not telling Yixing about Chaehyun's death yet would make things easier to explain for now, so he decides to indulge him a little. "For starters, Chaehyun hates her with passion and that makes things all the more difficult. And it's not like the feeling isn't mutual. Then of course, her brother has to start dating my sister, too, which I think was irrational of _Kris,_ but that's besides the point."

 

"Yeah, I always thought Kris was just dating your sister, too, because he wants to get back at you for breaking the bro code. I mean, no offense, but you're both stupid. You, for falling in love and not doing anything about it, and him for getting in a relationship without emotions invested."

 

"I know, hyung. At least, I genuinely loved her. Whatever she did in between might have been my fault, too, because she only wanted more time with me. But that's a luxury I didn't always have for other people. Chanhyun would always be my priority. And Kris was... Well, he's just being an ass but I guess that's what real brothers do."

 

"You're trying to put all the blame on you, Chanyeol. It's not really your fault that she cheated on you, you know. Even _I_ still get slightly affected everytime I think about it."

 

Chanyeol waves a dismissive hand. "That was a long time ago, hyung. And technically, she didn't cheat on  _anyone_ because we're not really in a relationship in the first place. For that, I deserved _everything_ she threw at me."

 

Shaking his head, Yixing leans forward from his seat. _"Chanyeol, sometimes, you have to be less naive,"_ he says gently. _"Having a kind heart is both a blessing and a curse. I see you, all the time, you give a little piece of your heart to everyone, even if they don't really need or deserve it. What would happen to you if there's nothing left for you to give? Being this kind would give people a reason to take advantage of you. So be careful._ _Okay?"_

 

"That's..." Chanyeol, almost turning speechless, thinks about it, too. He can't count the number of times that Kyungsoo has scolded him about the same problem. _"That says a lot coming from the kindest person I've ever met."_

 

In the end, they just chuckle lightly at the irony of this conversation.

 

~

 

Bakhyun is in desperate need of a drink. Whether it be poison from Luhan's shitty coffee-making skills or alcohol, he doesn't care. So instead of working his ass off until five, at four in the afternoon, he's already driving his way to Luhan's coffee shop where the guy told him he'll be heading after their conversation. Since Jongdae is being his usual workaholic self and refuses to get out before business hours end, despite the boss himself inviting him, Baekhyun decides to just leave the invitation open until the man becomes available. Sending a quick message to Sehun, he steps out of his car after his erronous parking and congratulates himself for not actually hitting the car parked next to his. He'll definitely hear from Luhan again for ruining the coffee shop's parking order.

 

He surprises himself when he sees Luhan standing behind the counter with an arm thrown over an unfamiliar person's shoulders. The stranger can't be an employee because he's not even wearing a uniform. Walking closer, he studies the side profile of the man first. They're laughing about something and Luhan is getting a little too touchy with the man. He's shorter than Luhan, obviously. His undercut black hair is styled to perfect waves and his smile can brighten up someone's soul, with the upper lip almost disappearing—showing a perfect set of pearly white teeth. In fact, it's almost as if he's seeing an imaginary blinding sparkle. As he is about to stare some more, Luhan finally notices his presence, taking his arm off the other guy to face Baekhyun completely.

 

"Baekhyun? What a  _pleasant_ surprise!" he greets, feigning enthusiasm. "Wasn't it just five minutes ago when I left your office?"

 

"That was more than two hours ago, you fucktard," Baekhyun retorts, inviting himself past the **'Employees Only'** zone.

 

"Aww, and you miss me already?" Luhan coos.

 

Baekhyun grimaces at his weird behavior. "Give me a coffee, please. One that doesn't taste like shit."

 

Aghast, Luhan suddenly yanks him away from everyone else. He holds Baekhyun by his elbow and takes him to the backdoor where they can be out of earshot. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" he seethes.

 

" _Me?!_  What's wrong with _you?!_ Why the fuck are _you_ getting all cozy with someone else where _everyone_ can see you?! What if it was _Sehun_ who walked in?!"

 

Luhan flicks his forehead. "That guy is my business partner, stupid. He just came back from our business launch in Japan and the least I can do is give him a warm welcome. His name is _Minseok_ and you're insulting him by saying that our coffee tastes like shit."

 

"It's not an insult if it's the truth," Baekhyun argues. "And I don't care. Why are you so close to him?"

 

"Don't be so jealous. Minseok's just my friend. We happen to have a lot in common and we were so happily talking about soccer with our employees to ease them out of exhaustion before you went in and ruined our happy environment. Some bosses are actually _nice,_ you know. Not everyone's as overbearing as you are. What do you need now?"

 

Baekhyun finally breaks down, ungraciously throwing himself into Luhan's arms. "Okay, I deserve that. Don't be angry with me, _baby._ I just need a drink so give me one of your shit-tasting coffees."

 

Luhan groans. "I hope this Park Chanyeol kicks your ass real good," he mutters, draping his arms around Baekhyun's waist.

 

Baekhyun closes his eyes with a defeated sigh. "He can do anything with _my ass_ but kick it. He's got really big feet, you know. I wouldn't want them hurting me."

 

"Do you realize you just confessed about wanting to get fucked by Park?"

 

"Shit," Baekhyun mumbles weakly. "I really need to get laid, Lu. Please tell me this Minseok guy is nice enough to let go of you right now."

 

"You're lucky he invited me for some drinks tonight. Come on, just join us."

 

"I texted Jongdae and Sehun. The more, the merrier."

 

 _Apparently not_.

 

A couple of hours into drinking, in the middle of getting to know Minseok more, Jongdae and Sehun arrive. Sehun sits next to Luhan being all sweet and mushy like always, while Minseok, the angel, takes interest and getting to know Jongdae more than he's interested in talking to Baekhyun now. Maybe it's the alcohol, or perhaps the place, but Baekhyun regrets inviting the two bastards because being left out makes him feel like a loser.

 

Well, that's until a decent-looking tall stranger approaches him to ask him for a _dance,_ and Baekhyun is more than willing to leave the other four to have _his fun._

 


	5. Daseot

**WARNING: I have nothing against fairytales but a part of this chapter is crucial for the future chapters. Fairytales~ xD**

**\---**

 

Since Chanhyun is already in Seoul out of schedule, Chanyeol decides to get the kid's medical examination for his new school's requirement, after submitting his sample buccal cells to Taemin. He's yet to notify the government about Chanhyun's school registration before the year ends and he's glad he has enrolled the kid earlier.

 

Another thing he's thankful for is his second cousin and direct superior, Director Kim—who has nothing but understanding and sympathy for his situation. He has asked for another day of rest and the director granted it, after knowing about Chaehyun's death. Even the chief gave him permission to rest. Truth is, Chanyeol only wanted to spend more time with Chanhyun. He still can't figure out what to feel about his own sister's death until now—not when everything is starting to get rocky with another person's sudden arrival. He would rather spend as much time with Chanhyun than mindlessly mope around without actually feeling like it. Because, who's to say his time with the kid is going to last long? Especially now that the alleged father has showed up, claiming the kid as if he's just returning to an animal shelter to get his forgotten little puppy back.

 

It's still unclear for Chanyeol what Mr. Byun's motives are, considering how he simply left Chanyeol's sister when she was still pregnant, given that he's the real father. And even so, why does he only choose to show up now after years of not even wanting anything to do with the kid? Bo-gum said he's a well-known CEO. Does it perhaps have anything to do with it? He obviously has all the money in the world to raise a kid, or a country even, if Bo-gum's reports are true. So why did he leave Chanhyun in the first place, if he would eventually show up and take him back? Chanyeol doesn't want to think about it, but he feels like Mr. Byun's intentions are purely about his status and class in life. Maybe the man needs an heir, but is not prepared to have a family. But if so, why didn't he just ask a random girl, support her financially, and get what he wants the easier way? Maybe, he doesn't like to deal with that trouble anymore. Maybe the difficulty of winning over your biological son's custody is easier than unstable commitments. After all, relationships always bring conflicts and for a busy person like Mr. Byun, it's going to be difficult to handle everything at the same time. Maybe, just like Chanyeol, he doesn't wanna go through the trouble of keeping up with immature fits, when it's easier to understand it if it's coming from a kid. And Chanyeol would rather settle with this idea, simply because he doesn't want to keep ugly assumptions about anyone.

 

"Uncle Taemin is so nice," Chanhyun cheerfully announces when they arrive at Chanyeol's house.

 

He smiles at the kid, ruffling his hair and kneeling in front of him to his eye level. "Yes, he is."

 

"Look, he even gave me the chocolates that uncle Jongin kept asking from him," Chanhyun proudly says, showing the little chocolate candies in his hands.

 

"Okay. But make sure you brush your teeth afterwards and drink plenty of water," Chanyeol tells him, taking off the kid's shoes. He pauses and stares. "Do you think Mr. Kang would mind if you sleep here tonight?"

 

"Maybe he won't, if you tell him. Or else, they're all gonna stay standing right outside your house like the good people they are and I think he would mind that very much."

 

Chanyeol chuckles at Chanhyun's humorous thoughts. For a kid, he really thinks ahead of his time. "Alright, smarty. I'll go and talk to them. You go ahead and clean yourself up so we can have dinner when I'm back. Okay?"

 

Chanhyun nods with an adorable smile, kissing Chanyeol on his cheek and leaving chocolate stains. "Be careful. I love you."

 

"I'll be just right outside, don't worry. I'll be careful, I promise. I love you more," Chanyeol answers, kissing Chanhyun on his forehead and then his hair.

 

He stands up, leaving the kid so he can talk to the bodyguards that his mother sent with Chanhyun. And just like what Chanhyun has predicted, the three bodyguards and the nanny are all standing right outside his gates. He immediately runs to them upon noticing.

 

"Oh, God. What are you all doing here?! Please, get inside. It's cold," Chanyeol worriedly says. He didn't even think that Chanhyun was serious when he said that these guys would _stay right outside and just stand_ there. "I thought you at least went into the hallways to warm up. What are you doing outside?" Chanyeol asks as he leads them into his house.

 

"Chanhyun-ssi doesn't like it when we follow him around too much," the head of the three, Mr. Kang, explains as he scratches the back of his head.

 

"He's a kid who's very particular with his privacy but that doesn't mean you have to stay away from him to this extent." Chanyeol pauses on his walk when they're finally inside, making the other four stop on their tracks, too. "He's just not comfortable when you follow him even inside a public washroom or keep tailing after him when he's working out his lungs, running around in my mother's garden. I know because he told me, Mr. Kang."

 

The young man doesn't answer and just lowers his head with an apologetic look.

 

"Hey. I'm not scolding you, okay? It's just that..." Chanyeol closes his eyes briefly before he goes on, "Chanhyun is a very nice kid and he would avoid confrontations as much as he can but for the sake of yourself, just make sure to keep an eye on him without acting like his inseparable shadow."

 

Mr. Kang nods with a small smile and Chanyeol smiles back at him.

 

"There. See? You look nicer when you're smiling and trust me, Chanhyun likes it when he's surrounded with friendly people. Loosen up a little. You're too young to be frowning all the time."

 

"Yes, Mr. Park," the young man answers.

 

"Just call me 'Chanyeol'. 'Mr. Park' is the old man in Busan. Don't tell him I said that," he says with a light chuckle, finally changing the tensed atmosphere. "Speaking of which, Chanhyun would spend the night here and I'd just accompany him back to Busan tomorrow. But for now, I want you all to have dinner and if you want to stay here, too, there are guestrooms upstairs."

 

"We'll just stay, Mr. Park," the nanny answers.

 

"Please, call me 'Chanyeol'," he politely repeats.

 

The woman smiles. "Of course, Chanyeol."

 

"Anyway," Chanyeol drawls out. "This is the living room and right there is where the kitchen is. Upstairs, the last door on the right is my room and right across it is Chanhyun's room. You already know the protocol about his sensitivity to privacy right?"

 

They all nod.

 

"Good. There are two other guestrooms which you can occupy however you like and each room has its own en suite bathrooms." He pauses to glance at his watch. "Just wait for Chanhyun here. I'll go ahead and prepare our dinner."

 

"Mr. Park—I mean, Chanyeol, please let us prepare the dinner, at least," the other bodyguard speaks.

 

Mr. Kang elbows the other. "What do you mean 'us'? You mean Mrs. Lee," he quickly disagrees in a low voice. He then turns to look up at Chanyeol with all the red staining his cheeks. He gives a small bow. "I-I'm sorry, Chanyeol-ssi. Seongwu is a _nice person,_ too, but I swear he's no cook. You can let Mrs. Lee do the cooking," he explains further, pulling the only woman to face Chanyeol.

 

"I'll do it," Mrs. Lee says with warm enthusiasm, making Chanyeol smile again while everybody else is sighing in relief.

 

"It's really okay," Chanyeol reassures them. "I love cooking."

 

"No, _she_ insists," Mr. Kang disputes.

 

"Yes, I insist. And besides, you can take this time to bond with your son while we take care of everything else," Mrs. Lee adds.

 

This seems to have convinced Chanyeol because he's already considering the offer as he nods. "Okay, I'm sold." He turns to walk towards the hallway before stopping again. "Another thing, I'm really keen on cleanliness so as much as possible, don't make a lot of mess in the kitchen. Just exhaust anything you see in there and tell me if you're having a hard time to clean up so I can help you. Okay?"

 

The four of them nod again and Chanyeol decides to check on Chanhyun after taking off his shoes. As expected, the kid is reading a book that Taemin bought for him when Chanyeol knocks on his door.

 

"Hello, daddy. Sit with me?"

 

"So what is this one about?" Chanyeol asks, sitting next to him on the bed.

 

The kid seems more than pleased of himself to explain how a car's safety should always be the first to be checked everytime someone is about to drive. He goes on with his brief details of _what_ and _where_ to check, using Chanyeol's own car as a reference with his cute little hand gestures. Chanyeol is almost gaping at him for actually understanding all these stuff by just reading a simple book, and he's more than surprised when Chanhyun starts telling him about the possible dangers of simply not wearing a seatbelt or not following the traffic lights. He's not even expecting the kid to be reading anything like this, or at least not _yet_  in his young age, and he was honestly just thinking earlier that Taemin bought the kid a children's book or something. He gets confused why Chanhyun is interested in this all of a sudden.

 

"H-hold on," he stops him in the middle of his rant at how Chanyeol sometimes drives even when he hasn't had enough sleep, which is also against the standard rules of safety. "How did you know about that little lever that I need to monitor in _my_ own car? Who taught you this?" Chanyeol asks, genuinely baffled.

 

Chanhyun crawls to get his backpack from the nightstand, retrieving a thick, familiar manual. His glasses are almost falling off of his face because of his movements. "I've been reading this on our way here, while I was on that flying car called _airplane_ ," he explains, showing Chanyeol the manual of _his_ car that he didn't even realize has been missing all this time, since he doesn't really give a shit about it anymore. All he knows is that if the car's working and there's gas, he doesn't have to worry about anything. He takes the car to an autoshop regularly and they always make sure that nothing's wrong. "I took it from your car when I left my present. Are you mad?"

 

'Mad' is clearly not the word, but he honestly doesn't get _when_ and _how_ the kid started being this  _advanced._ "I'm..." Chanyeol tries to search for some words, carefully choosing the safest vocabulary. "I'm just a little shocked you're even reading this. When did you realize you're interested in cars?"

 

Chanhyun smiles up at him. "I'm not," he simply answers, taking off his glasses and placing in its case inside his bag. "I just didn't have anything else to read, is all."

 

But Chanyeol can sense the little kid's discomfort with his own answer, despite that innocent smile. Instead of pushing it, he decides to focus on the more important matter. "Hyunnie, you're just a baby. You're  _my_ baby. And I'm proud of you for being an open-minded reader, but I don't think this stuff is actually fit for your age. I mean, what happened to _'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'_?"

 

"Well..." Chanyeol is half expecting the kid to tell him that  _he outgrew the fairytales_ but is, once again, surprised to hear a rational answer. "Snow White was poisoned and instead of a doctor, a Prince Charming came. I want to be a Prince Charming, too, one day. But I don't think it's scientifically possible to bring someone back to life just by kissing them."

 

Chanyeol almost squeals at how adorable Chanhyun looks like when he has this confused expression on, if not for the words he just threw at his father. "You're not supposed to think that way. I mean, it's fairytale. These stories really go on like that."

 

"So, then... I conclude that I can't mentally stand fairytales because they seem to lie a lot and make everything about love so shallow."

 

Chanyeol's jaw drops at this. "W-what?!"

 

"Like, they fall in love at first glance because someone possesses a certain beauty."

 

Chanyeol opens his mouth only to close it again because he's afraid he'll say something that he isn't supposed to. After getting his shit together, he takes a deep breath and asks, "What about that lady who fell in love with a beast, then?"

 

"That's worse because she always wanted to escape a provincial life and she met someone who had a lot of riches. If he lived in the streets without an enchanted castle, do you think she'd still love him?"

 

The innocence in Chanhyun's eyes is making the question sound all the more ridiculous. As much as the kid's sentiments are making a lot of sense, Chanyeol can't still let him just imagine the cruel reality yet. He's supposed to love fairytales _because he's a kid._ He's supposed to enjoy playing with toys _because he's a kid._ He's _not_ supposed to diss fairytales or read about cars. He's _not even_ supposed to be capable of _reading effectively_ yet. What the hell has Chanhyun been doing all those days that he locked himself away in his own room at his grandparents' house?

 

 _"The point is,"_ Chanhyun continues, staring at his black backpack with silver stars printed on it. _"...they always think they're in love because they see something they want from the other. I just refuse to believe that it's as superficial as that. For me, love should be spontaneous. It should not instantly bloom from beautiful faces and shared music about dreams. Because, what if it's not true? What if those butterflies and flowers are just illusions we convince ourselves to believe in, because it's less complex?"_ He then turns to look at Chanyeol who's been unconsciously frowning the whole time. _"So before they start declaring feelings, they should ask themselves, 'What of it, if I take away the beauty and the castle? Would I still fall in love, or shall I look for another?' It's really making me confused how they all want the kids to grow up with the idea of fairytales. It doesn't only set impossible standards. They also portray love as something you get at mere glances and some kids would believe that because it's easier to understand. But I don't like the idea of being fooled."_

 

Chanyeol absently nods at his kid, clearing his throat. "I-I think... I think it's time for dinner."

 

Chanhyun pouts at him dejectedly. "Are you disappointed, daddy?"

 

Panicked, Chanyeol lets out a nervous chuckle. "What? No! I'm not. I mean, I'm just... I'm so surprised at how your train of thoughts go. I guess we've been spending so little time together, huh?"

 

Chanhyun lets out a sigh of relief. "I think so, too." Then he smiles up brightly again, leaping onto Chanyeol's lap and embracing him. "But I'm moving back in here on Saturday so we can catch up. Right, daddy?"

 

Chanyeol smiles, too, albeit a little constrained. He likes it when Chanhyun's inner child is taking over him. "Right. Definitely."

 

"Yay!" the kid exclaims, kissing his father all over his face.

 

Chanyeol laughs at his adorable gesture. "Okay. Let's have dinner now. We'll talk more about Saturday later."

 

Chanhyun jumps off of his bed to wear his slippers. Maybe it's not meant for Chanyeol to hear, but he still catches on when the kid mumbles while walking out with a bounce in his steps, _"I'm so glad I'm no longer watching grandma's dramas on TV by Saturday."_

 

And with that, Chanyeol realizes where the kid is probably getting his ideas from. He's so gonna have a long discussion with his mother tomorrow.

 

"Daddy, come on! Come on, dinner, now!" Chanhyun yells from outside the room, snapping Chanyeol out of his reverie.

 

"Okay! Wait for me," he answers.

 

He stands up from the bed, taking out his phone from his pocket to type a quick message to his mother...

 

 **To Prosecutor Park:** _**I wish I can say I need to have a word with you tomorrow, but there's so much to discuss. Please, make time.** _

 

~

 

The next day, Chanyeol calls his mother first thing in the morning about her poor choices of entertainment for the little kid. She admits she's been playing random drama series while she works on her documents at home and doesn't realize that Chanhyun has been seeing them. This only encourages Chanyeol more to take Chanhyun back because he can't just let nannies and bodyguards raise the kid with grandparents who are too busy to even watch over him personally.

 

After a quick lunch in Chanhyun's favorite diner— **도식당서울** —owned by Kyungsoo's parents, Chanyeol takes them to the airport since Chanhyun insists for him to sleep some more at home. Both of them are excited for Saturday. But as soon as Chanyeol is alone in his home, reality kicks in again.

 

Later, he'll finally see the results. And only then will he think about what to do with Byun Baekhyun.

 

~

 

Whenever Baekhyun is late for work, almost everyone else in the building already knows that he's too shit-faced last night to be punctual by the next day.

 

_Almost._

 

With the exception of Tiffany, of course, since she's just new. Today, Baekhyun is not just an hour late but _half a day late_ so it's crucial not to ruin his mood even further. And of all the times, Tiffany chooses to bombard Baekhyun with updates _today_ as soon as he steps out of his personal elevator onto his office floor. He can't even walk properly yet after the events last night and he's thinking how deep in trouble Tiffany would be if she can't give him at least one good news today.

 

"M-Mr. Byun!" she calls out. He resumes walking towards his office like he's not hearing anything, but she continues talking and walking after him, too. She's almost screeching and panicking; it's starting to annoy him more. "Where have you been?! You missed out on _six appointments_ this morning and about to miss on another right now. I have been receiving endless calls from clients and business partners, the whole world has been looking for you! And, Ms. Kim was here this morning but she wasn't able to get in because there was an order, and also _Park byeonhosa-nim_ asked if you have a free time on Saturday, and the Chinese investors already gave an—"

 

Baekhyun raises a hand, effectively cutting off Tiffany's endless rambles. He stops walking so she stops following him, too. "What did Attorney Park say?"

 

Tiffany looks exhausted now. Baekhyun assumes this has something to do with her judgment of his priorities, seeing that of all the other seemingly more important things, he only catches on the Park lawyer's name. "He was asking if you have free time on Saturday."

 

Baekhyun frowns, turning to face Tiffany. "What?"

 

"O-oh, he was... asking if you have free time on—"

 

"No, I heard what you said." Baekhyun pinches the bridge of his nose. "Did it sound like he was asking for a date or something?"

 

Tiffany's face instantly turns red. "N-no, I don't think so. It didn't sound like that."

 

"Okay, call him back and connect his call to my office."

 

"Yes, Mr. Byun."

 

"Oh, and..." Baekhyun pauses right in front of his glassed doors. "Taeyeon wanted a shopping chaperone and she'd definitely throw a hissy fit at my father if I don't comply. Just meet her at four today, she's going to wait at the reception."

 

Tiffany's eyes are as wide as saucers. "M-me?!"

 

Baekhyun scowls, briefly scanning their surrounding to prove his point. "Is someone else here?"

 

Tiffany just lowers her head after nodding. Baekhyun smirks to himself, walking into his office. Taeyeon is definitely not being subtle about how she's trying to gain his secretary's attention. _That bitch._ What if Baekhyun was into girls and he was taking her seriously? He would've ended up being cheated on by his fiancée and his secretary right under his nose.

 

Good thing, he's not even dating Taeyeon, to his knowledge.

 

"Byun Baekhyun," he curtly answers after picking up the receiver.

 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Byun. You wanted to speak with me?"

 

"Good afternoon, Attorney Park. I thought it was you who wanted to speak with me."

 

Baekhyun hears a chuckle. "I clearly remember leaving my message to your secretary."

 

"Well, then, okay. Let's meet on Saturday. What is it for, anyway?"

 

"We'll talk about the kid, of course. Don't you wanna meet him?"

 

At this, Baekhyun stands up from his seat and leans his free arm against the table. "You mean, I'd get to see him on Saturday, too?"

 

"It still depends on some circumstances, Byun sajang-nim. Don't get your hopes high up yet. I just need to secure an appointment with you since you mentioned you're always busy."

 

"What circumstances?"

 

Bo-gum clears his throat. "If it says 'positive' on your paternity test, you may see the kid. But until the results, I can't guarantee you anything."

 

"Wait. How do I even know that you're not going to manipulate the results?"

 

"If you doubt anything we're doing, Mr. Byun, you can always conduct a DNA testing of your own. After all, you have the money, don't you?"

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "You know, I don't appreciate it when people keep mocking me."

 

"Oh, but I wasn't mocking you, Mr. Byun. If anything, I've been giving you compliments. Not that it's worth anything, but I'm actually treating you with utmost modesty and politeness because my _client_ wouldn't like it if I disrespected people that he's supposed to deal with. I won't be rude. No matter how much you make it tempting. So, see you on Saturday?"

 

Baekhyun is so tempted to just smash the phone but he's not going to give this asshole that satisfaction. So with a sweet voice, he tells him, "Looking forward to it." He doesn't wait for an answer before he carefully places back the receiver.

 

"I'll be surprised if I'm not yet as old as my father tomorrow," he mumbles to himself, closing his eyes and slumping back into his swivel chair. He jumps, startled, when his phone starts ringing again. He can already feel another headache starting. "What?" he snaps. "This better be a good news, Tiffany."

 

"Uhm..."

 

Baekhyun waits for a few more seconds while turning on his laptop. "Alright, whatever. Just tell me."

 

"Mr. Seo In-guk is here, Mr. Byun."

 

"Let him in. Here in my office, now. And send me the reports from Financial Department yesterday that I haven't signed yet, we'd need that by the end of this week."

 

"Can I also send in the production report that came from Japan last week and the Legal Department's shortlist that you need to review, Mr. Byun?"

 

"Why don't you just send me the whole freaking building's job, so you can all take a rest while I work? Let's see if that's better."

 

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Byun. I'm going to let Mr. Seo into your office now."

 

Baekhyun lets out an exasperated sigh. "Tiffany, listen. From now on, you only do what you have to do, and that doesn't include  _telling me_ what to do. Do you understand?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

He ends the call, placing the receiver back. He checks on his email notifications from his priority list and tries to respond to as many of them as possible before a knock comes at his door. He doesn't look up but he calls out to his visitor, "Come in."

 

"I'm not sure if I should be concerned at your lack of enthusiasm to see me," In-guk greets him, sitting in one of the single couches in front of his desk.

 

Baekhyun squints his eyes at him. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

 

In-guk feigns an offended expression. "I don't remember doing anything wrong aside from spying on people for you."

 

"You fucktard. You really made it obvious so they'd catch on it. How the hell did they know it was me?!"

 

"Was I supposed to say it was me, then? They're powerful people, Byun. I wouldn't risk my career challenging them. You should be glad they aren't suing your sorry ass yet."

 

"You bastard."

 

In-guk chuckles heartily. "I swear. You'll thank me later on for what I did to you the other day," he confidently says, standing up from his seat. "The grandfather Park is a well-known Judge and a government official who's in line to be the next _Chief of Justice_ , while the grandmother Park is a  _Senior Prosecutor_  in _Park and Kim LLC_ and never lost a single trial after her intern practice. It's interesting, really. Because I still have no clue who  _daddy Park_ really is, but this much I can give you." He takes a wallet-sized photograph from his chest pocket and places it on top of Baekhyun's desk. "You met him, right? Is that him?"

 

Baekhyun stares at the photograph of a couple. The girl has a short black hair and crinkling eyes because she seems to be laughing. And true enough, the tall guy standing next to her, wearing a suit, is none other than _Park Chanyeol_ —only with a red-colored hair. He looks younger and infinitely more attractive when he's smiling a genuine and dimpled smile like this, and the red quiffed hair fits him well.

 

"It's him, alright," Baekhyun mumbles.

 

"Well, I'm just checking if I'm on the right track. I'll be back when I figure something out about them. That is, if you still want me to continue."

 

"I'll think about it. Stop your investigations for now. I'll just take care of it myself first. My priority is to get my son back."

 

In-guk smiles at him. A  _sincere_  one. "That's the most matured decision I've ever heard from you so far, Baekhyun."

 

Baekhyun chortles. "You can't seriously tell me that when you don't know half about me. Get out of here now before I kiss you again."

 

In-guk just laughs it off, too. "Tell Attorney Park I said 'hi'," he says, taking back the picture.

 

"You know him?" Baekhyun incredulously asks.

 

"Let's just say we go _way back,_ and we're both surprised to meet again like this. So we kind of talked about it instead, like civilized people. But just like in college, we wouldn't just give each other the answers right away without working hard for it." For a moment, In-guk looks lost. "I hope you understand that it's not my intention to put you in trouble, Baekhyun. But Bo-gum is the smartest person I've ever met. He's always _honest_ and _even_. And the only way you'd get decent cooperation from him is by offering him a bargain. Like telling the truth, for example."

 

"Wait. When he said he has evidences of me, stalking the _other_ Park, do you know where he got them from?"

 

_"He got them from you."_

 

Baekhyun turns speechless at this answer, puzzled.

 

"Which means," In-guk continues, "...he didn't really have anything yet when he first approached you. But with you, threatening him back, it was almost as good as confessing it was really you. And then, you bought his warning by eventually talking to him about it. You simply took his bait."

 

Baekhyun frowns, thinking back on that day when he first met Park Bo-gum. As much as Baekhyun hates to admit it, he really wasn't thinking clearly during that time while he was doing whatever it was that he was doing. In the end, it could've ended worse. Now, he's partly relieved that he just opted to tell the lawyer about his real intention or else he'd be playing mind games with the Parks, and Baekhyun knows that he's not really the smartest person out there.

 

"There's a reason why people are given the _right to remain silent_ when they are accused of something, Baekhyun," In-guk says with a serious tone. "It's because _things that we say out of impulse are usually the things we regret to say the most._ Next time, take a minute or two to think before you speak. Or better yet, don't say anything without your lawyer. Okay?"

 

Nodding absently, Baekhyun feels In-guk touching his cheek.

 

"Stop thinking too much about it. They're nice people. They won't blow things out of proportion unless you intentionally provoke them."

 

Baekhyun looks up at him. "Thank you."

 

"Wow. That's a first," In-guk retorts. "Anyway, I'll get going. I don't wanna keep a busy man to myself. Call me if you need me. I mean it."

 

"Wait," Baekhyun calls at him before he can walk out of his office completely. _"Can you leave that picture?"_

 

~

 

Saturday can't come earlier but when it's already the morning of this day, Baekhyun is almost freaking out. He doesn't know what to wear, what to do first, or if he should bring anything. He's already expecting to see his son today after Bo-gum sent him the text confirmation yesterday and the rendezvous, and it drove him nuts with mixed emotions just thinking about it.

 

_He's going to see his son._

 

But the day won't be complete without someone ruining it. As he takes his breakfast, one of his housemaids informs him that there's an urgent matter that he needs to attend to in his office this morning. He knows he should just fire Tiffany for breaking yet another basic protocol. Someone should be able to take care of this while he's gone, but he chooses not to ruin his day further by being a little more considerate.

 

Although it's one of his established rules that no one is allowed to contact him about business on weekends, he decides to show up just to stabilize his nerves. After all, he's not going to meet Bo-gum until before lunch time so he still has some hours to spare.

 

He picks a light suit for today because he doesn't want to appear too casual in front of his son on the first day they'd meet. Or maybe, just maybe, he's also expecting to see the modelesque Parks so he doesn't want to look underdressed.

 

It's not even lunch time yet but he's already noticing a lot of signs that's it's not going to be an easy day. He sees some employees in the building when he arrives and shakes his head. It's a Saturday and these people obviously procrastinated on their deadlines so they're working on a weekend. It's clear that they're surprised to see him here, too, mostly because some of the other employees have taken an improper disregard for the dress code since nobody's expecting the boss to be here.

 

Tiffany is just walking right behind him in her white office dress as he takes a quick tour in different departments to see more people who aren't expecting him. They all scramble to greet him with polite bows as they walk around.

 

"What are you wearing?" he asks one of the ladies in Creative Acquisition Department, earning him a surprised squeak.

 

The lady gives him a polite bow upon realizing who he is, making him grimace. She's wearing a short skirt and a loose top with a revealing neckline. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Byun. I didn't know you'd be here."

 

"Go back home and change your clothes. Unless you wanna be fired for a simple dress code."

 

"Y-yes, sir," she mumbles before excusing herself, leaving all the folders she's reviewing on the desk she's been working on.

 

"Don't forget to get her name and submit an _Insubordination DAF_ to HR," he tells his secretary.

 

Tiffany just nods at him before they head to the next department where the real problem lies.

 

"This was about the report from China, Mr. Byun," Tiffany starts off. She walks towards one of the desktops and gestures for Baekhyun to take a look, making him raise an eyebrow. "Someone from this department sent a hundred-page confidential contract to a business rival. According to the IT Dep, this contract is just between you and the Chinese investors and they're still working on figuring out who sent it."

 

"You mean you called me to get here on a Saturday because nobody can take care of this crap?"

 

At least, Tiffany seems apologetic but it takes her several seconds to come up with an answer. "I'm sorry, Mr. Byun. We just thought you wanted to know about it before Monday."

 

"I'm _supposed to know it_ before Monday through an _email,_ Tiffany. You don't have to drag me all the way here because I know nothing about IT shits, too. That's why there are people here who work in that department—to take care of things that people like me can't handle." Baekhyun looks around to see about two or three other employees looking at their direction. "What the heck are you looking at? Get back to work or you're fired." Once they return to their own tasks, he carefully pulls Tiffany by her elbow towards the department head's secluded office which is thankfully empty on weekends. He scans his all-access badge on the digital security scanner next to the door so they can get in and have a little privacy. Even if the walls are made of glass, at least the people outside won't hear him. "You're not even supposed to work on Saturdays, Tiffany. These things should be resolved before the problem reaches me or some people will definitely get fired for not doing their jobs. _And your job is to look after my schedules, get me a coffee or run errands for me around the office._ You don't run errands for _other people_ in here. Do you understand?"

 

Tiffany's eyes are turning glassy and her nose red. "Yes, Mr. Byun."

 

"Someone is going to take care of this. Stop worrying your pretty head and go home. It's not your job to figure out who's sending confidential files to people. That's why they send in reports everyday and that's how we figure things out. _We communicate._ We can't just barge in here and interrupt their operations, especially when we know nothing about the crap they do."

 

Their long preaching session is interrupted when Baekhyun's phone starts ringing.

 

"Byun Baekhyun," he answers.

 

_"It's a miracle you finally picked up."_

 

Baekhyun groans inwardly upon hearing his father's voice. "Hey, dad. I'm a little busy and I have an appointment in an hour so I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

 

"I heard from someone that you're in the office today."

 

Baekhyun scowls. "Someone?"

 

"I have eyes in that building, son."

 

"You're creepy. And I have to go."

 

"No, you're going to delay that appointment of yours so we can talk."

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, walking out of the single glassed door, then out of this department's floor. Tiffany is just trailing after him. "Too bad, I'm leaving now. See you around—"

 

His words are cut short when he notices a familiar man standing in front of the third elevator. It's too late for him to run away or escape when the man is already staring at him with a phone in one hand.

 

"Good morning, Baekhyun. Did you really think you can hide from me for a long time?"

 

"Dad," he drawls out with a forced smile. "What in the world are you doing here?"

 

His father walks swiftly towards him and whacks the back of his head. "That's not how you greet your father."

 

Grunting, Baekhyun massages the back of his head with a sour look. "Seriously? On a Saturday?" he grumbles more to himself.

 

Baekhyun's secretary who has just received an earful from him seems amused of what's going on so he quickly pulls his father towards the elevator. "Let's talk in my office," he explains quickly.

 

They're awfully quiet while waiting for the three floors up. Once inside the office, his father sits in one of the couches in his mini lounge.

 

"What have you been up to these days?"

 

Baekhyun takes a seat across him. "I've been busy with work and some personal stuff. Please don't ask."

 

"I can't just ignore the fact that your face is all over the news, though. You've been seen drunk out of your ass again the other day with a random guy in a high-end club. Baekhyun, what are you really doing with your life? You should be having your own family by your age now."

 

Baekhyun wails mentally. He's going to have to endure this talk again. "At least, it's in a high-end club," he tries.

 

But his father doesn't seem so amused. "Baekhyun, what am I gonna do with you? Did I do something wrong for you to be this stubborn?"

 

Feeling some unnecessary guilt creeping up, he rolls his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, dad. I'm working on it. Trust me. You'll be off to your _long-awaited, much-deserved retirement_ in no time. Just leave everything to me. Okay?"

 

His father stares at him for a few seconds, as if considering his words. "It's a shame, really. Taeyeon is a nice, decent lady but I guess she's really _not_ one of those girls."

 

Baekhyun chuckles to himself when he sees the mischievous smile that his father is giving him. "Dad, even if I was into girls that much, she's gonna be a scandalous problem because she has her eyes set on _my secretary_. She's beautiful and we might even end up being friends but we're really just tolerating your dating requests. We've never even been out together. She would always pester my secretary so I had to place an order to keep her out of this building."

 

"Maybe that's why I thought you're perfect for each other."

 

There's a knock on his door and Baekhyun inwardly thanks the stars of whoever it is that's going to save him from his father's lectures. He smiles, all too wide, when he sees his secretary in front of his tinted glass doors. "Speaking of my _very useful_  secretary," Baekhyun proudly announces. "Come in, Tiffany."

 

Tiffany pushes the doors open and gives him an apologetic smile, bowing at them politely. "Sir, the lawyer called. He reminded me about your urgent appointment with him and he really wouldn't have another time to spare but the scheduled one today."

 

Baekhyun thinks he can almost kiss Tiffany for this. So he plays along, faking a gasp of surprise. "Oh, God. I almost forgot about it. Thank you for reminding me." He turns to look at his father who's now sporting an unreadable expression. "Dad, this is really important. I'll visit you and mom real soon but for now," he stands up from his seat and gives him a respectful bow before walking towards Tiffany who's still standing in the doorway, "...I have to go. Take care, dad."

 

As soon as they're out of Baekhyun's office and into the hallway, Baekhyun pauses to face Tiffany. "Did he really call?"

 

She shakes her head. "I just know this is something important and I owe you for taking up your time."

 

Baekhyun nods with a small smile, making his secretary a blushing mess. "Thank you. Go home and take a rest. There's more of this hell that you'd need to endure starting Monday."

 

Tiffany just giggles and they both walk towards different elevators. _"You look handsome when you're smiling, sajang-nim,"_ he hears her mumbling before he walks into the elevator. All Baekhyun can do is smile to himself.

 


	6. Yeoseot

**WARNING: Poor attempt at minimal fluff and light angst. T^T But it's ChanBaek, sooo... x3**

**\---**

 

"He's late," Bo-gum deadpans, glancing at his watch for the nth time.

 

Chanyeol can't even pay attention to his surrounding anymore. Part of him is excited because today, Chanhyun is finally moving in with him again. It's going to be easier for him to monitor the kid's growth and he's had enough of his parents' disregard in personally looking after the kid. But for the most part, he's _anxious_. Because today, he also decides to do something that can potentially change their lives forever.

 

_He's going to introduce Chanhyun to his real father._

 

This morning, when he got home from work, he called the home phone in Busan to talk to Chanhyun about the possibility of meeting his biological father soon. Chanhyun only thanked him but also said that _i_ _t wasn't necessary because he's contented with his life with just the two of them._ This made Chanyeol feel relieved for a bit, until he remembered that it's not actually his choice to make. If he deems the real father worthy of his child, his only option is to let go of Chanhyun and live the rest of his miserable life alone.

 

"If he isn't here in five minutes, I'm leaving," Bo-gum says.

 

His cousin has been saying this for the past thirty minutes and all Chanyeol can do is offer him an apologetic smile. It isn't even his responsibility to cover up for the other but he feels like he's the one causing all the inconvenience. "You told him we'll be heading to Busan, right?" he asks just to steer the conversation somewhere else even when he already knows the answer.

 

Bo-gum's eyes bewilder. "You don't think he headed to Busan straightaway, do you?"

 

Chanyeol snickers. "You know, it's funny how you're so composed whenever you're around other people. And then when it's just me and Jongin, you're just as dorky yourself."

 

"I know what you're doing." Bo-gum rolls his eyes. "Trying to distract me won't change the fact that he's already late. This says a lot about his reputation and as a courtesy to others who are working seven days a week, he should start considering the value of time."

 

A knock on their door cuts off their conversation. When the door opens, their personal server gives them a polite bow. "Mr. Park, Mr. Byun has arrived. Shall I escort him here?"

 

"Well, maybe you should escort him out, seeing as he doesn't seem to take this appointment seriously. Do you think maybe you can do that?"

 

Chanyeol clears his throat to warn his cousin's behavior who merely shrugs at him, as if he didn't just snap at the server. Taking his cue to speak, Chanyeol turns to face the man in black uniform. "Please, escort him here. And I apologize for my _friend's_ unnecessary snides. He's been waiting for too long, but it's not your fault."

 

The man nods before excusing himself and closing the door again.

 

"Control your temper," Chanyeol says gently. "As much as your sanity can tolerate it, please don't humiliate anyone in front of me today. I'd hate to have an awkward atmosphere when I haven't had a wink of sleep. I literally won't be able to endure more stress."

 

"It's not my fault you possess an insufferable paradox of audacity to remain polite, but I'll try my best behavior."

 

Chanyeol shakes his head, taking the document-sized envelop from his satchel and hands it over to Bo-gum. "As soon as he arrives, explain this to him before we leave for Busan. Wait for me before you leave us alone, okay? I need a bathroom break. I feel a little nauseous."

 

Bo-gum scans the contents of the envelop quickly, nodding his head. He closes it and looks up at Chanyeol. "Alright. I'll take care of it. Can you walk, at least?"

 

Chanyeol smiles lightly. "I'm not disabled, Boggs. I can manage."

 

Just as he's about to stand up, the door opens to the same server but another person is standing agitatedly behind him. Chanyeol sits up straight, realizing it's none other than _Mr. Byun Baekhyun_ himself, the subject of his distress and anxiety lately—not that it's any of the oblivious man's intention.

 

"You're late," Bo-gum sourly greets, waving his hand towards the empty seat in front of him.

 

But Chanyeol can barely pay attention to Bo-gum's words or anything else. He stares at Baekhyun who also gives him the same amount of heavy gaze and he feels the nausea eating him up again. Before he completely passes out, he looks away and glances at his cousin to excuse himself. Standing up, he clears his throat to stay focused. "I'll go to the washroom," he merely mumbles, giving Baekhyun a small nod on his way out.

 

_Why does it feel like he's having a hard time keeping his shit together, even for an act?_

 

~

 

Arriving almost thirty minutes later than the actual appointed time, Baekhyun runs for it after parking his car. He's excited to finally see his son but his father just had to pick today, out of all days, to surprise him a visit and remind him of Taeyeon and his limited life choices. His father isn't really forcing him to marry Taeyeon, but it's clear that he's pressuring him to do something as soon as possible. And that is how this appointment is crucial for him, too, because it's supposed to resolve all his endless disarrays in life.

 

Which is why when Tiffany miraculously disturbed them in the middle of their talk to remind him of an appointment with a lawyer, he took that chance to quickly abandon his father and head to this diner in a fancy hotel.

 

_Of course, that bastard is still a Park. And the life of luxury is also in his blood so he chooses this place._

 

"Good morning, sir. Did you make a reservation?"

 

He nods curtly at the lady receptionist. "My name is Byun Baekhyun and I'm here to meet with Park byeonhosa-nim and his client—Mr. Park Chanyeol. Are they here yet?"

 

"Hold on, please," the receptionist politely says, lifting the receiver from her table. "I need someone to assist Mr. Byun to his table reservation with the Parks. Thank you." After placing the receiver back, she smiles up at him again. "Please follow me."

 

Baekhyun walks after the receptionist towards the hallway behind the lobby. As they walk to stand in front of a closed double-door entrance, he looks up to read the metal arc that says **도식당서울** in silver font and black background. They wait right there until someone wearing an all-black uniform opens the doors with a smile.

 

"Mr. Byun?"

 

"That's me," Baekhyun confirms.

 

"Please, come in," the man says.

 

Baekhyun fixes his suit jacket before walking into the diner, smelling the familiar aroma of some Korean cuisine he's never tasted in so long. He feels his stomach growling. Fortunately, since the surrounding seems busy and the sound of crisp jazz music is playing, nobody notices. He hasn't had his lunch yet and barely took his proper breakfast.

 

The walls are painted in matte black with silver railings and white underlights. There are tall indoor bamboos in metal pots, too, in almost every corner.

 

"This way, please," the same waiter tells him, opening a sliding matte black door that he didn't even notice, camouflaging with the walls.

 

Inside is a small, private booth with a table for four. Attached to the ceiling is an expensive-looking crystal chandelier, giving the elegant booth a soft, white glow. But that's not what has gotten his attention. It's the two men—one, wearing his usual pristine attire in navy blue and white, and the other wearing a cream turtleneck sweater tucked neatly in light brown trousers underneath a chocolate brown coat. Man, both of them look like they're fresh out of the magazine and the latter even looks like a triple chocolate mousse god.

 

"You're late," the lawyer tells him, offering him a seat.

 

The other man stands from his seat and excuses himself. "I'll go to the washroom," he tells the lawyer. Then he turns to give Baekhyun a curt nod in acknowledgment before walking out of the door.

 

Baekhyun takes the offered seat, feeling uneasy. The lawyer hands him a hard green envelope as he sits.

 

"Results," the man simply says. 

 

Carefully opening the envelope, he takes out the contents and absently scan them, all the while not understanding a single thing it says. His eyes stare longer on the second page, though...

 

* * *

**CPI:** 61,414,508  
**LM:** 28(+,-,+/-,+/+,-/-)  
**FINAL CONCLUSION:** The alleged father, **Byun Baek Hyun** , cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child, **Park Chan Hyun**. Based on the genetic testing results obtained by PCR analyses of STR loci, the probability of paternity is **99.999998%** with **28** matches out of **28** systems tested.

 

  
The results and conclusions described on this report has been reviewed, approved, and conducted by:

  
**Taemin Lee, PhD**  
Junior Associate Director, DNA/Identity Laboratory  
Clinical Geneticist

* * *

 

"It means the paternity test is _positive_ ," the lawyer supplies for him with mock humor. "Congratulations, Mr. Byun. You are, after all, the biological father."

 

And Baekhyun doesn't know what to feel about that. First, there's this weird twist in his stomach; a nauseating sensation that makes him feel like he's about to puke. His instinct convinces him to be happy because he doesn't have to torture himself into a meaningless marriage with a complete stranger, now that he has an actual heir. All he has to do is take his child from the Parks and change his family name. Which leads him to the other problem. There's a small part of him, which is surprisingly significant if he's being rational, telling him that something doesn't feel right. Something is wrong and his mind drifts to that asshat— _Park Chanyeol._ He can care less about what the guy feels but there's this nagging feeling that he believes to have something to do with that guy. Maybe, he feels sorry for him because he has no other choice now but to hand Baekhyun his own son.

 

"I'll just... Washroom," Baekhyun incoherently mumbles, standing up and walking out of the confined space. He needs an escape but for the first time, he doesn't think about hiding from it again.

 

As soon as he turns the knob of the washroom door, he surprises himself when the image of Park Chanyeol washing his hands in the sink welcomes him. They both stare at each other for a few seconds but he looks away after realizing how he must have seemed stupid for ogling the innocent man.

 

"Hey," he greets him instead without looking, washing his hands in the farthest sink away from Chanyeol.

 

When Chanyeol is already drying his hands, Baekhyun suddenly feels that sickness in his stomach again. He wanted an escape and he ends up running into the same person he's escaping from and his mind decides to remind him about it now. So he unconsciously hunches over the sink, feeling the involuntary heaves of his stomach. Unfortunately, his attempts at preventing an awkward mess to happen fail him and he starts emptying the non-existent contents of his stomach. He vomits mouthfuls of ugly liquid, feeling tears brim the corners of his eyes. He hasn't eaten properly yet so he's probably just going to end up puking his own guts out.

 

_But that hand running comforting circles on his back is enough courage for him to stop his ugly heaving._

 

"I... feel... like shit," he breathlessly blurts out.

 

Chanyeol hands him a generous amount of paper towels. "Wash up your face. It should help with the dizziness because it's coming up next once you attempt to straighten up your body."

 

Baekhyun doesn't even waste his time to reconsider. Just the idea of washing up his face with cold water is tempting enough so he ungraciously does so while Chanyeol is watching. Once he's done, he washes his mouth, dries up his face, and leans on his arms against the sink.

 

"How am I not even drunk to forget about this shit?" he asks more to himself. When he tries to stand up properly, he ends up gripping the edge of the sink with one hand while he has the other pressing hard against his throbbing temple.

 

"Are you alright?" Chanyeol asks, cautiously placing a hand on the small of Baekhyun's back to support him. "Okay, that's a stupid question. What I mean is, can you stand?"

 

Shaking his head is probably one of his worst decisions today so he grimaces. "Why are you being so fucking nice? You're supposed to be an asshat."

 

He feels the taller letting out a burdened sigh. "I can't be an ass to anyone who doesn't feel well."

 

Baekhyun feels another hand, this time in direct contact with his skin, checking the temperature of his forehead.

 

"It's just temporary sickness and a low fever," he hears Chanyeol explaining like an expert. Baekhyun looks up at him through the mirror and sees the man taking off his coat. "Probably due to stress." Then Chanyeol places his warm coat over Baekhyun's shoulders, making Baekhyun take an involuntarily deep sniff.  _He fucking smells like dark chocolate with some drops of Vodka, it's almost hypnotizing._  "This should help with the shivering," Chanyeol explains, snapping him out of his trance. "You better make your breathing even or you'd end up collapsing. Can you walk?"

 

Baekhyun groans. "Stop being so nice. I don't want to feel indebted to anyone," he weakly protests when Chanyeol starts pushing him gently out of the door, holding and supporting him by his waist while the taller walks behind him.

 

"Don't worry. I won't go easy on you once you're okay. Especially now that we both know you're the jerk who made some lives miserable."

 

"I think I need to vomit again."

 

"Don't be so dramatic, _Bacon._ Let's just walk ahead because we still need to travel for hours."

 

Baekhyun stops walking abruptly, his back colliding into Chanyeol's chest.

 

_Oh, good Lord. His chest feels nice and he's still clothed._

 

Baekhyun's mind is now in chaos. "T-that's not my name, though."

 

"I know but I don't care. I didn't stop you from calling me names, did I?"

 

Baekhyun sighs in defeat, reluctantly continuing on his walk back to their table.

 

"What took you so long? I have to leave," the lawyer tells them, already fixing his suit. "The waiter will be back here. I'll go now."

 

"Wait," Baekhyun nervously calls after the lawyer before he can walk out. "You're not coming with us?"

 

"Uh, no? I just came here to witness the appointment which has been already excessively delayed. And now that I've personally witnessed this exchange far enough, my work here is done." The lawyer gives them a small bow before leaving.

 

"Relax. I don't bite. Take a seat, please," Chanyeol says.

 

"I still feel like shit. Maybe I should just go home."

 

The taller stares at him with unreadable eyes. "Have you had your lunch yet?"

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. "My father sequestrated me in my office when he found out I was there on a Saturday. I'm not usually late in my important meetings but I know that's not an excuse."

 

"Don't worry, nobody's going to monitor your attendance sheet," the taller lightly dismisses.

 

The same waiter that escorted him here opens the door with two black-themed menus.

 

"What would you like to have?" Chanyeol asks.

 

Baekhyun appreciates the man's attempt to avoid an awkward confrontation, but he can sense his obvious anxiety. Maybe, he feels just as shitty as Baekhyun feels. "Anything easy to eat. As long as there isn't _cucumber_ in it."

 

For some reasons, Baekhyun is left frowning when he hears Chanyeol chuckling a little.

 

"Something funny?" he almost snaps.

 

"Your son hates the smell of cucumber, too. I wonder where he got that from."

 

Baekhyun feels something tugging at his heart. "R-really?"

 

And Chanyeol, well, he seems to have finally realized what he just said. So he regains composure, opting to look for something to eat, instead. "Yes," he curtly replies. He turns to talk to the waiter who's been quietly standing on the side. "Can we get two bowls of Mr. Do's special Imperial Samgyetang and red tea?"

 

The waiter writes down the order. "Anything else, sir?"

 

"Two glasses of warm water. And two tablets of Bonine, if that's possible," Chanyeol finishes, closing the menu.

 

The waiter seems confused at first before he nods. "I'll see what I can get, Mr. Park."

 

"Thank you."

 

After the man walks out and closes the door, Baekhyun taps the table lightly to get Chanyeol's attention. "What's a Bonine?"

 

"It's a medicine for you. To stop your vomiting."

 

The answer turns Baekhyun speechless. Chanyeol might be an asshat at first meeting, but he certainly is a thoughtful person when he chooses to be. And he doesn't know what to feel about that. He figures, he can just keep his mouth shut for the mean time while they wait for their order.

 

"Give me your hands," Chanyeol suddenly says.

 

Confused, Baekhyun blinks. "What do you need my hands for?"

 

"We're going to have to travel for some hours and I need to make sure you wouldn't puke on anyone on our way. By that, I mean _myself_ or the taxi driver."

 

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. "Taxi driver?"

 

"I need a rest so I'm not going to drive. But I won't trust my safety in your hands, too, so getting a cab is the best choice."

 

"What does that have to do with my hand, though?" Baekhyun mumbles, but still, he reluctantly reaches out across the table to show Chanyeol his hands.

 

~

 

It's not like Chanyeol's intentionally being an ass but in his defense, he just can't find a reason to forget about what this guy did to his sister yet. He's still angry, confused, and horribly lost. Though that doesn't mean he would deliberately make it hard for the man to, at least, redeem his reputation on Chanhyun. Especially for a man like Chanyeol who has his heart dead set on taking care of others. So when he sees Baekhyun almost doubling over as he vomits, his heart immediately softens. He makes a promise to himself to not let his guards down so easily—which was probably his sister's first mistake before trusting this man next—but for now, while the other is sick, he would just let the doctor in him take over his actions.

 

_Which leads him to his situation now._

 

He stares at the smaller male's dainty fingers while tracing his pressure points. He starts with his right hand. His main objective is to ease the guy's nerves, but in return, it's causing him to create a turbulence in his. Because for a male, Baekhyun's hands are surely _pretty._ His fingers are slim and long. He refuses to see them as something _sexy_ because that would be wrong on so many levels, but his mind can't find any other words to describe it. He settles with a simple thought.

 

_Baekhyun's hands are beautiful._

 

"What are you doing?" Baekhyun asks, distracting him.

 

He keeps light pressure as he rubs circles on the smaller's wrist with his thumb. "This will help you relax," he answers without looking. Well, so much for making things less awkward.

 

"That feels nice," he hears Baekhyun mumbling.

 

Chanyeol clears his throat, gently placing Baekhyun's right hand on the table. This time, he takes his other hand. "That's adorable," he absently murmurs.

 

"What?" Baekhyun asks, puzzled.

 

But Chanyeol chooses not to answer because that's not even going to _make things less awkward._  He decides to just go on with his task, staring at the smaller male's hand because...

 

_How can a weirdly placed mole be that beautiful on someone's thumb?_

 

The silence is cut by the waiter's arrival with their food. They just eat in peace, throwing glances at each other randomly, not too long to make it look creepy. Chanyeol swears it's the most difficult food he's ever swallowed.

 

~

 

"I need your address in Busan."

 

Chanyeol turns to look at him. "What for?"

 

"I'm sending someone to pick me up later. I'd tell them the address now so they'd get there in time."

 

Chanyeol takes the phone that Baekhyun is almost shoving in his face and types his parents' residential address on the message box.

 

"My lawyer explained what the documents meant, didn't he?"

 

Baekhyun, who's now sitting next to him in the backseat of a taxi, simply nods his head.

 

"What do you think about it?" Chanyeol asks.

 

"What do you mean?" Baekhyun asks back, closing his eyes.

 

"I mean, days of probably not seeing a bestfriend might feel difficult. How more would you feel about not seeing _your son_ at all?"

 

"Are you trying to be funny? Because I swear I still don't feel better yet, and you're already starting to become an ass again."

 

_"Look at me."_

 

Groaning, Baekhyun opens his eyes to stare at Chanyeol's serious face. Chanyeol can almost see the instant change in Baekhyun's expression. "What?" he still snaps.

 

"I'm not scorning you or anything. I'm simply asking a genuine question because I know I'd feel horrible if I can't see the kid in a span of twenty-four hours."

 

"Okay. Let me make it easier for you to understand, then. First off, where do you work?"

 

Chanyeol frowns. "In Gangnam."

 

"Smartass, I meant, do you work in a library? In a restaurant? Or something."

 

"What does that have to do with my question?"

 

"Because I'm going to use it as a reference. I'm a businessman, I explain things to people by using their own perspectives."

 

"Okay. I just know that I don't work in any of those."

 

Baekhyun seems to have lost all his sick sensations now, making Chanyeol feel less guilty of being ambiguous. "Why can't you just fucking tell me?"

 

Chanyeol shrugs. "Because it's too personal."

 

"Ugh! I'm so done. Just... Let's not talk about it anymore because obviously, patience is not my strongest virtue and clarity is apparently not yours, too. And I can't physically stand an argument now so just... stop."

 

Chanyeol just hums, looking out the window. Not even five minutes later, he already hears the shorter male letting out small whimpers, dozing off. It must have been the effect of the medicine on him. He smiles to himself while shaking his head. Baekhyun can be adorable, too, if he can just shut up his overbearing vocabulary for five minutes.

 

He takes the quiet time to think about what's about to happen. He already told Chanhyun that he's about to meet his real father but the kid isn't expecting it to happen real soon. The truth is, Chanyeol is already considering hiding Chanhyun from his real father but he knows it's just too selfish and the child doesn't deserve that. Ever since Baekhyun came, he's been mentally preparing himself in case he needs to let go, and he realizes that it's not just difficult.

 

_It's impossible._

 

Because no matter how much he tries to tell himself that this is Chanhyun's right and he deserves to take it, he can't help but feel his own stable world already collapsing on him. He just loves that kid too much— _probably more than he loves anyone or himself—_ and the thought of trusting him to another person, permanently, is killing him with fear from within. He thinks that, maybe, this is what it feels like to let go of something that's not even his to begin with. Maybe this is why people should stop holding on to something that's supposed to be held by someone else.

 

_In this reality, Chanhyun is not his—no matter how other people try to convince him otherwise._

 

After four hours of journey and endless snoring from Baekhyun, they finally arrive in Busan. As they near the tall gates, Chanyeol can already see the carved letters on the large oakwood board to welcome them, right under a dried brown canopy.

 

**박정원**

 

"Mr. Byun, wake up. We're here."

 

Baekhyun just moves his head to the other direction before snuggling more into Chanyeol's coat around him and goes back to snoring.

 

"Mr. Byun, we're here," Chanyeol repeats.

 

"Shut up, Luhan," Baekhyun grumbles.

 

Chanyeol lets out an exasperated sigh before placing a hand on the sleeping man's shoulder to shake him lightly. _"Byun Bacon, wake up."_

 

Slowly, Baekhyun's eyes open one at a time and he yawns. "That's like five minutes."

 

"Believe me, it's been almost five hours. I would know because I've been awake," Chanyeol gently tells him.

 

Baekhyun stares at him in disbelief. "You took a cab because you said it's gonna be tiring to drive. We left my car in Seoul, _Park._ Because you said you wanted a rest."

 

"Yes, but I didn't say I wanted to sleep."

 

Gaping, Baekhyun seems to be in conflict whether to argue with him or just leave it be, making Chanyeol raise an eyebrow.

 

"What?" he asks the smaller.

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. He takes out his wallet but before he can hand the driver his black card, Chanyeol beats him to it by handing the driver some cash. For the nth time, Chanyeol catches Baekhyun gawking at him as he walks out of the taxi. Seconds after Baekhyun has probably gathered his wits back, he's following Chanyeol towards the smaller gate.

 

"That was too expensive to pay in cash. You should've just let me pay for—What the fuck?! You live here?!"

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes. "Nope. My _parents_ live here. I live in _Seoul_ , remember? I hope your dangerous stalking abilities at least gave you that little information about me."

 

When Baekhyun finally shuts up, Chanyeol presses the gate intercom. "Gates, please," he simply says.

 

Not long after, someone is already opening the gate. "Mr. Park?" a man in black security uniform gasps before he bows at them politely. "Where's your car, sir?"

 

"I'm sorry, I was too tired to drive," Chanyeol answers, ushering Baekhyun in first. He decides to let the formality of the security person pass for now in order to not make him feel scolded in front of a visitor. "This is Mr. Byun Baekhyun and he's here to meet Chanhyun. Remember his name and his face. He could be a criminal."

 

Baekhyun elbows him with a glare. "I can fucking hear you right here," he seethes.

 

Chanyeol clutches his hand on his side, massaging his hurt muscle. "Yes, I know. You're literally standing right next to me, I'm sure you'd hear."

 

Baekhyun glances at the man in black before glowering back at Chanyeol. "Well, why in hell would you call me a criminal when I can clearly hear it?!"

 

"Would you rather I call you one when you're back is turned?"

 

"You're unbelievable."

 

"Relax, Mr. Byun. I didn't exactly _call you_ a criminal. I just wanted to be sure that they know the people walking in and out of here."

 

Baekhyun doesn't answer, obviously frustrated of the argument. Chanyeol notices how short-tempered the man is and briefly wonders how he would be fit to lead a company, let alone, raise a child, with all his issues in frustration management or lack thereof.

 

They walk quietly through the long driveway before reaching a pair of wooden double doors, matching the chocolate brown color of their tall gates.

 

"Did you ask someone to pack his stuff?" 

 

Confused, Chanyeol stares at him. "Yes, I did."

 

Baekhyun lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank God. I thought a person like you needed more convincing."

 

Chanyeol turns to face him completely this time. "Wait. What are you talking about?"

 

Baekhyun gives him an incredulous once over. "What do you mean what I'm talking about? Didn't you just bring me here so I can take my son?"

 

Chanyeol raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

 

Baekhyun turns to face him, too, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yes, excuse you. You said so yourself that I'm Chanhyun's father so it's only reasonable that you give him to me n—"

 

"Mr. Park?" one of the maids cuts off Baekhyun's rants, opening the double doors to let them in. She bows politely while waiting for them to walk ahead. The maid seems to have caught on the tension so she walks after them with a little too much distance. Pausing her walk in front of the living room entrance, she clears her throat. Chanyeol strides in to take a seat with Baekhyun, listening to the maid's announcement. "Sir, Chanhyun-ssi would be right here any min—"

 

_"Daddy!"_

 

Not even a minute from the time he sat, he already hears the excited squeal from upstairs and the sound of small cheerful steps running towards the living room's direction.

 

"I'll be in the kitchen, sir," the maid disposes herself off before giving them another bow and disappearing out of the living room.

 

Chanyeol stands up from his seat to greet the kid who's now standing in front of the living room's entrance with his adorable rectangular smile.

 

_"Hello, Hyunnie."_

 

Without waiting for another step from Chanyeol, the kid jumps and runs to him, giving him a warm embrace. Chanyeol immediately crouches down in front of him, to his eye level, hugging him back just as tight. "Finally," the kid murmurs in his ear before raining Chanyeol his usual set of kisses all over the face. "I missed you, daddy."

 

"I missed you more. Did you pack your things?"

 

Chanhyun nods eagerly, burying his face in the crook Chanyeol's neck. "Did you bring the ashes?" he asks in a whisper.

 

"Not yet." Chanyeol pulls slightly away from him to look at him in the eyes. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

 

Chanhyun, seeming to understand the gravity of Chanyeol's words, finally takes notice of the stranger standing right behind his father with a pale face. Then the kid looks back at him and whispers, "Is he your _boyfriend_?"

 

Chanyeol lets out a strained chuckle. "What? No. He's someone really, _really_ important to you."

 

The kid gasps, covering his lips with both hands. When Chanyeol stands up, Chanhyun quickly hides himself behind him, only peeking out to steal a glimpse at the stranger.

 

_"Chanhyun, this is Byun Baekhyun. Your real father."_

 

Chanhyun, being the polite kid that he is, takes two reluctant steps away from him to give Baekhyun a respectful bow. Baekhyun, who seems to have lost his shit somewhere in the middle of their argument earlier, absently gives a bow back to the child who turns to hide behind Chanyeol again.

 

_"Baekhyun, this is Park Chanhyun."_ Chanyeol shortly gives his son a reassuring smile, looking back at the still stunned Baekhyun. _"Your son."_

 

~

 

If Baekhyun can get a won for every moment he's left dumbfounded, he would have been a quadruple billionaire now by all the turns of events happening right before his eyes. He stares in awe at the child hiding behind the tall man who's been causing him stress the whole day.

 

_He's beautiful. The kid, that is._

 

He takes a deep steadying breath and gulps hard, letting out a barely audible, "H-hello," in Banmal.

 

The kid stares at him, wide-eyed, before tugging on the cuff of Chanyeol's sleeve. "Daddy," he murmurs, looking up at Chanyeol.

 

_Daddy? He calls Park his 'daddy'. It's English but it still sounds perfect coming from a little kid._

 

Something inside of Baekhyun snaps at the action. The child is not supposed to call Chanyeol like _that_. He's supposed to get excited because his _real father_ is standing right here, in all his shivering glory, but the kid seems to have different things in mind.

 

"Daddy, what's going on?" the kid keeps asking in a low voice, as if trying leave him out of the conversation.

 

"Hyunnie, this is not how you greet your father. Talk to him."

 

_'Hyunnie'. Now, why does that awfully sound like Baekhyun's nickname, too?_

 

The kid glances at Baekhyun with wavering, glassy eyes, and then turns to look back at Chanyeol. "Daddy, what's going on here? What's happening? Are you giving me away?"

 

Baekhyun finally plucks up the courage to speak. _"He's not giving you away. I'm taking you away because you're mine."_

 

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol calls out to him in an undertone. Now this might be the first instance that Chanyeol is calling him by his name without making fun of it, but that doesn't mean he's going to get soft.

 

"Daddy, answer me," the kid begs, pulling on Chanyeol's hand.

 

"Tell him, Chanyeol. Tell him that he needs to leave with me," Baekhyun insists.

 

Chanyeol pats Chanhyun's head with a small smile before turning to look back at Baekhyun again. "Baekhyun, please, not in front of the kid."

 

"Well, he has to know what's supposed to happen!" Baekhyun almost yells, feeling his hands shake.

 

Chanyeol bends over to get to the kid's eye level. "Go and get your carry on bag, I'll tell Mr. Kang to get your other suitcases ready so we can go _home_."

 

"No!" Baekhyun interrupts. He walks closer to them, taking the kid's hand by force and ignoring the weak protests. "You're not going anywhere with _my son._ He's coming with me whether you like it or not."

 

"Baekhyun, stop freaking out and let go of his wrist. You're hurting him," Chanyeol gently tells him while straightening up.

 

Baekhyun looks up at him, unconsciously pulling the child behind him now. "He has to come with me."

 

"If you continue this, you'd scar him for life and you would never win him over. Do you want that?"

 

_"Daddy!"_

 

At Chanhyun's cry, Baekhyun's hold on him involuntarily loosens. The kid takes this opportunity to run back and hide behind Chanyeol again, like he's afraid of some monster.

 

"Hyunnie, _your father_ freaks out a lot," Chanyeol tells the kid gently. "Please, forgive him for acting that way because he's just excited to see you. Okay?"

 

"He's mine," Baekhyun mumbles under his breath. "He's _mine_ ," he repeats, louder this time. He tries to take the remaining sense of reason in him to control himself and avoid freaking out.

 

The kid seems to have calmed down, too, when he looks up at Chanyeol and asks, "What is he saying, daddy?"

 

"He's mine, Park. You've got to let him go," Baekhyun says through gritted teeth.

  
The tall man stares back at him, seeming unfazed. His vain attempts of being polite all gone. "If he says he wants to stay with you, I'd leave him to you without asking."

  
Baekhyun, for once in his life, already feels defeated. He doesn't let it show on his face, though. Instead, he takes a deep, steadying breath, letting it out slowly. He tries his best to look confident as he kneels in front of the kid. "Chanhyun, I'm your father," he says matter-of-factly, placing his hands on top of the little boy's shoulders.

  
It's the first time he sees the kid up close and in person so he's quite surprised to look at an almost spitting image of him. It's like he's just Baekhyun's baby version, but probably taller and more beautiful. The kid possesses a pair of droopy eyes, cute button nose, and pretty little lips that undeniably came from his father's own. He has the same porcelain skin, too, and a wavy mop of black hair, much like Baekhyun's when he was his age.

  
_No doubt, this kid right here really is his son, and he's more than ready to accept that now._

  
"You're a smart kid, I've heard," Baekhyun consoles him, touching his cheek. "You have to stay with me, and choose me. You know that, right? Because I'm your _real_ father."

  
As the kid stares back, Baekhyun realizes one thing—he knew most of Park Chaehyun's best assets because that's what initially got him into her, but he can't remember the girl having these ears, which annoys him a little. Oddly, Chanhyun also took a huge resemblance from his uncle's ears, and the shape of his face looks much more like the tall man's own frame. And since he's a little tall for his age, Baekhyun suspects his height came from the Parks' DNA, too, because most from his own family aren't that tall.

  
But even so, Chanhyun shouldn't have any similarities with this Park Chanyeol. The kid even calls him _'daddy'_ which should've been Baekhyun's identity to the kid. Unfortunately, when standing next to the tall guy, they can be mistaken as father and son, too. In fact, the kid doesn't even have a single resemblance from the mother herself. _Everything Park_ about the kid looks more from the uncle than from the mother and Baekhyun doesn't like it one bit. For the first time in Baekhyun's life, he feels that someone else stole what is rightfully his and he's not gonna stop until he gets that back.

  
_Chanhyun is his son._

  
And he desperately needs the child to avoid the mess of getting married to someone just because his father demands him to have his heir, too, before he becomes the chairman of **Byun Holdings International.**

  
So it only makes sense when Baekhyun feels a spark of hope glimmering inside him when the child finally answers with his soft voice, _"Please, give me one week to say goodbye to daddy."_

 

And although Baekhyun still isn't fond of his own son calling someone else 'daddy', he chooses to let it pass this time. He nods, clears his throat, and stands up to threaten Chanyeol with his expressive eyes. "One week," he warns him through clenched teeth, jabbing a slick index finger against the taller's chest. "You've got _one week,_ Park."

 

He swiftly turns on his heel and walks out of the huge yet suffocating _manor._  He thanks all his lucky stars that his father's personal chauffer is already _conveniently_ waiting right outside the tall gates in a black Mercedes-Benz SUV. It would have been awkward to call for a cab and wait for it after his dramatic exit. But as soon as they drive away, he curses inwardly, taking in a good lungful of air that suspiciously smells like a glass of melted dark chocolate with a shot of vodka. He groans, realizing that he's brought the chocolate brown coat that smells exactly lik _e Park Chanyeol._

 


	7. Ilgop

**WARNING: Nothing too explicit but some blood would be present. ,__,"**

**\---**

 

"I haven't even met the guy yet but I can already tell that he's an ass."

 

Chanyeol is almost tempted to shove all the japchae violently into Kyungsoo's mouth when the smaller keeps forgetting to filter his words around Chanhyun. "Would you please tone down your harsh language?" he seethes in a low voice, stealing a glimpse in Chanhyun's direction who's happily filling his mouth with the warm glass noodles.

 

In all honesty, Chanyeol is surprised, too, how Baekhyun tries all his best efforts to  _woo_  the kid in a span of six days. Since Sunday, the day after Chanyeol introduced the two to each other, Bo-gum has been meeting with Chanhyun and Chanyeol after the latter's work just to deliver Baekhyun's gifts for the kid. Like an expensive toy truck with a card attached to it that asked the kid to give him a call, or that one time when he sent Chanhyun an Apple tablet. Of all the gifts, the only thing that the child seems to have genuinely appreciated is the silver necklace that has a star pendant with  _ **Park Chan Hyun**_  engraved in the center of it. Even Chanyeol is floored that it's  _'Park'_ and not  _'Byun',_ considering the obsessive-possessive fit he threw at them last time. Chanhyun has never taken off the necklace since yesterday, after receiving it. Chanyeol doesn't mind, too. What he minds is Baekhyun's way of convincing the child to talk to him because it's obvious that he knows nothing about his own son. He's planning to _orient_ the businessman about what the kid likes and doesn't like so it's easier, but his best friend strongly objects the idea. Kyungsoo thinks it's not Chanyeol's job to hand over _something_ easily _with a manual_ when he had to figure out _everything_ about Chanhyun in his own way. And even if Chanyeol has tried to convince Kyungsoo that the man deserves to be given at least the benefit of the doubt, Kyungsoo won't have any of it. Especially _not_ after Chanhyun has truthfully told him of what happened last Saturday during their first meeting.

 

At least, Kyungsoo looks _slightly_  guilty now upon realizing he's lost some of his control over his words. He looks over at Chanhyun who's sitting next to his giant father. "Chanhyunnie, did you hear what _uncle-chef Soo_ said?"

 

Chanhyun looks up at them with innocent eyes. He nods. "Yes."

 

"What did _he_ say?" Kyungsoo follows up.

 

"He said, _japchae is healthy so I should eat some._ "

 

Kyungsoo turns to look at Chanyeol with a proud look on his face. "This kid is _so_ smart, I feel like _I'm_ actually his father and not you nor that stupid dickhead," Kyungsoo tells him with a sweet voice.

 

Chanyeol glares at him, ineffectively trying to cover both of Chanhyun's ears. "You are subtly corrupting his innocent mind."

 

Kyungsoo looks back at Chanhyun. "What did you hear this time, Chanhyunnie?"

 

Chanhyun gives them a wide smile, gently holding both of Chanyeol's hands in his before placing them back on the table. "Don't worry, uncle-chef Soo. I wouldn't mind being your son, too. _I'm having two fathers lately,_ it isn't surprising anymore if I'd have three."

 

Chanyeol finds it both alarming and amusing how the kid can actually make humor out of his serious situation. For the past week, he's never seen him cry again. In fact, he's been all _giggly_ and _smiley_ around people, as if he's the happiest kid in the world, which Chanyeol wasn't expecting at all. After what happened in the Parks' manor, he just thought Chanhyun would act all clingy and sad because he'd only have a week left to be with Chanyeol. That is, of course, if he chooses to leave, which would then force Chanyeol to give up the custody. Maybe the kid doesn't understand what's going on yet—after all, he's still so young to know what the consequences of fighting over custody would be. Although he's been hearing Chanhyun asking his uncle Bo-gum _suspiciously_ about _custody, rights,_ and _courts_ for almost a week now, he believes that all of Chanhyun's questions are just out of curiosity. And since Bo-gum loves talking to the kid about smart stuff, he indulges the little one with what Chanyeol deems to be the most understandable answers. Maybe the kid has been hearing the words whenever the adults talk about it.

 

He looks at his kid with a light smile, deciding to forget about Kyungsoo's careless cursing for now. His best friend has never been this openly pissed off of someone in front of Chanhyun and Chanyeol empathizes with him completely. Still, he needs to talk to him about this, probably without the kid around.

 

_But of course..._

 

"At least, the kid has an open mind," Kyungsoo continues. "I mean, look at this little angel. Does he look like some property you just simply leave _for lease_ and then take back when you've had enough _investment?_ Because if he says so, I'm gonna _loan-kick_ his business ass out of his expensive tower."

 

"Alright, Soo," Chanyeol almost wails. "You have obviously spent a lot more time with Jongin lately that your sense of humor is becoming dangerously similar. I can take your business puns, but do you mind funneling your  _kind_ vocabulary a little? There's literally a kid right here."

 

"Don't worry about him hearing the wrong things," Kyungsoo snarls at him. "Whenever I don't have the capacity to control my words, this smarty has the ability to control what he only has to listen to. Or else someone's gonna be forced to eat two slices of cucumbers and that is going to be ugly."

 

Chanhyun suddenly chokes on his food, sending the two adults to their feet. Chanyeol quickly fills his glass with water while Kyungsoo soothes his back.

 

"I'm kidding, Chanhyunnie," Kyungsoo tells him gently. "You know uncle-chef Soo won't force you to eat cucumbers, right?"

 

The kid raises a thumb up in an _'okay'_ sign while still coughing. "I'm alright. Thank you," he reassures them, drinking the glass of water. He clears his throat, nose and cheeks in deep red, and smiles nervously at the two adults before continuing with his food.

 

Chanyeol throws Kyungsoo another pointed look and they return to their food in peace, briefly letting go of the previous conversation.

 

~

 

"Take care, daddy," Chanhyun tells him.

 

Chanyeol embraces the kid. "Be a good boy, okay? This is the first time this week that I'm leaving you responsible for a complete _ten-hour_ cycle. I don't want to hear uncle Boggs complaining."

 

"He won't complain," the kid chirps, hugging him back. "Call home before _dinner_."

 

Chanyeol frowns, pulling away. "It's still eight in the morning, Hyunnie. Why would you want me missing for that long?"

 

The kid giggles. "Don't worry, daddy. Uncle Boggs and I would go out for an ice cream date, and then we'd be back here in no time. I just don't want you to keep worrying. I'm in safe hands. But, you have to send Mr. Kang messages whenever you're on a short break."

 

Even if Chanyeol would like to object so much, he just can't refuse the adorable smiles of the little kid so he nods before taking his white coat and satchel. He kisses Chanhyun's lips and then the top of his head.  _"I love you. Behave."_

 

_"I love you more, daddy! Behave, too,"_ the kid tells his father before playfully pushing him out of the door. "Uncle-chef Soo, I love you, too. Be careful when you're driving and don't fall asleep!"

 

"I won't. I love you, too, my Chanhyunnie!" Kyungsoo yells back as he takes the driver's seat, with Chanyeol reluctantly getting into the front passenger's.

 

"Look after him, Mr. Kang," Chanyeol tells Chanhyun's personal bodyguard.

 

"I will, Chanyeol-ssi," the young man says, giving them a small bow.

 

Chanyeol shuts the door close and Kyungsoo starts driving off to the hospital.

 

"Has he always been _that_  wise? When did Chanhyun become so matured?" Kyungsoo mumbles.

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "I don't know and I'm honestly scared. He's growing up _too fast,_ Soo. One day, he likes reading fairytales and the next time I blink, he's already criticizing the plots."

 

"You know, I still haven't moved on from that," Kyungsoo admits. "When you told me about it, I seriously didn't believe you right away. I thought you were just _exaggerating_ things until I talked to him for the first time in a long time last night and asked me things that kids don't normally ask."

 

"Speaking of which, what did the two of you talk about last night? You seemed pale when I walked into your office before we left."

 

"Nothing too shocking. _He just asked me if it's possible for two men to fall in love._  I mean, that's pretty normal, right?" After some seconds of silence, Kyungsoo exclaims, "God, he's just a baby!"

 

Chanyeol is almost surprised, except he remembers Chanhyun asking him if Baekhyun was _his boyfriend_ the first time he brought the guy to the kid. Right then, he didn't pay much attention to the kid's question since more things mattered at that time. Like, how Chanhyun is going to react once he realized it was actually his biological father, or if Chanhyun would be angry at him because of what was going on. Now that he's thinking about it, he gets to relate to the same confusion. "He did?"

 

"Yes, and then I asked why he was asking. Then he said, _it was nothing_ and told me that _his daddy,_ which I believe he meant _you,_ would look good with _someone short_ and it _didn't need to be a princess._ And it would be really sad if love was impossible between two men."

 

Chanyeol snickers. "And that shocked you because?"

 

"Because I'm not done talking yet, idiot," Kyungsoo snaps. They stop at the private subdivision's gate for the security devices to scan the VIP sticker that Chanyeol had placed on the windshield of Kyungsoo's car. Once they are cleared to pass, the shorter rambles on. "He stared at me for a long time while he was contemplating. And then he murmured that _we,_ as in _you and me,_ Chanyeol, would have looked good together. Imagine how much I cringed hearing that."

 

Now, Chanyeol starts laughing so hard, he almost hits his head against the glove compartment.

 

"But that's not it, though. I mean, we're both used to getting mistaken as lovers back in college because you've never been seen dating anyone and we're always together. And when you had that thing with Leifan, you two won't even be seen together, too, because you're both scared shitless of Kris and Chaehyun. So Chanhyun, saying that, didn't bother me as much as his next observation did..."

 

Kyungsoo stops by the red light and runs a hand through his blow-dried hair, and Chanyeol has to bite his lips to stop himself from laughing again. A frustrated Kyungsoo is always so entertaining to watch.

 

"Your stupid excuse of a cousin just had to _impeccably_ barge into my office to snatch the kid into his bone-crushing hug." Kyungsoo puffs out a lungful of air. "Then Chanhyun, _that bastard,_ just had to make things awkward. He kissed Jongin on his cheek, then held the idiot's face in between his hands and stared. He stared at him for so long. _Too long._ And then he looked back at me with a scowl. Then looked back at Jongin again. You see, even telling you this story is making me sound so fucking stupid."

 

"And then what?" Chanyeol cuts in, to keep him focused on his story.

 

When the lights turn green, Kyungsoo starts driving again. "And then, he told Jongin, _that we would have looked good together, too._ As in _me_ and _Jongin,_ Chanyeol. Just how awkward was that?"

 

Chanyeol looks away because two more seconds of watching Kyungsoo's flustered yet agitated face would give him a day worth of stomach cramps for laughing some more. "Did Jongin say anything, though?"

 

"Fortunately, your stupid cousin is an idiot and he didn't understand anything, especially with Taemin walking in on us carrying a box of fried chicken. The two of them left after he promised Chanhyun he'd be back with a bag of chocolates."

 

Kyungsoo turns right and parks his car in front of the coffee shop they frequent which is just across the street from the hospital. But none of them makes a move to get out.

 

"You see, it wasn't like how they said it in books," Kyungsoo says in a low voice. "They said you'd be a blushing mess, you'd feel butterflies, and all those shits. Clearly, that wasn't my case last night. Instead, when Chanhyun told Jongin that we would look good together, I felt all the blood drain my face and an ugly hollow in my stomach. That doesn't even sound remotely romantic."

 

"I mean, why are you complaining? It's not like _you're_ the one who likes _him,_ right?" Chanyeol teases him lightly.

 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. "That's why, out of mechanism, I threatened the little devil that is Chanhyun that I would burn the _Harry Potter_ books I gave him on his birthday if he tells Jongin about it again. He didn't even seem afraid, that brat. It's like he wasn't taking my threats seriously."

 

"Because he knows you love books as much as he does."

 

"Even so. I was the one who gave it, I know where to find more and I'd burn some of those in front of your house to scare him."

 

Chanyeol unbuckles his seatbelt. "Now I understand why he kept asking me about gifts last night."

 

"What?"

 

Chanyeol pauses to look back at his best friend. "He was asking if it's possible for someone to take back something that they already gave. And I told him it depends on some factors. He asked me some more, things related to those, but nothing serious, I guess. I figured he just wanted to talk about random things with me." He shrugs dismissively.

 

Kyungsoo takes off his seatbelt, too. "Well, with Chanhyun, _you never know._ I swear that kid isn't five."

 

"He's only four years old."

 

"He's Korean. Technically, he's five turning six."

 

"Oh, my God. Stop messing my baby's calendar. He's just four years old, end of discussion."

 

Kyungsoo shakes his head, unlocking his car. They step out and go on their usual routine, buying coffee and planning to enjoy a short break at ease before another day of emergencies. However, unlike normal days, they come across Yixing who's walking into the cafe just as they're about to walk out.

 

"Yixing-hyung?" Chanyeol calls after him, surprised.

 

Yixing turns to look at them with furrowed eyebrows and smiles his dimpled smile instantly when he recognizes them. "Hey, wait for me!" he calls back, waving a hand.

 

Chanyeol just nods with a grin. Kyungsoo leans against the passenger door of his car and Chanyeol mirrors his actions.

 

"I don't see him going out for coffees," Kyungsoo notices, too.

 

"Is it weird that we know him so much?" Chanyeol asks.

 

Kyungsoo chuckles, holding his to-go cup with both hands. "It's weird that almost all doctors in that hospital, regardless of the expertise, know so much secrets and small mannerisms of each other. I'm usually a _very detached person_ but I know you noticed how I always pack extra food because one or two would forget their breakfast or meals altogether and I can't stand that."

 

"Most of the extra packed food ended up being for Jongin, though."

 

Kyungsoo shoves him with his elbow. "That idiot should learn how to eat something else other than chicken."

 

Chanyeol laughs at him before taking a good sip of his coffee. As they see Yixing walking out with four to-go cups in a single holder, they wave at him and he walks towards them.

 

"Have you been waiting long?" Yixing asks.

 

"Nope," Kyungsoo answers, obviously glad that he's found himself an escape out of another _awkward Jongin talk._ "Since Chanyeol is being an ass, let Chanyeol carry those for you, hyung. He's sitting in the backseat, anyway."

 

Chanyeol doesn't argue, though. He knows this is just Kyungsoo's excuse to help the seemingly sleepy man, and with Chanyeol being helpful and all, it doesn't take another word for him to carefully grab the holder from the older. "I'll take care of it, hyung."

 

"It's alright, I swear. I didn't even know we're still taking a car. The hospital is right across the street."

 

"Hyung, just let him," Kyungsoo says firmly, opening the door for Chanyeol. He proceeds to open the door for Yixing, too, which the older finally accepts with not much of a choice. Kyungsoo walks around the car. "What time does your shift end?"

 

Yixing lets out an exasperated sigh. "I've never done a _triple shift_ before. Thank you for helping me. I thought I'm already seeing unicorns in my head for not having any sleep in two days while in shift."

 

"What?! Why are you on a triple shift?!" Kyungsoo snaps, taking the driver's seat. "I'm getting angry. Why would chief ask you to do that?!"

 

"He didn't. I volunteered." Yixing leans his head back, closing his eyes as they start the drive towards the next U-Turn. "Our department would malfunction without a senior psychiatrist and five from mine are all sick with Scarlet Fever. _Five._ Can you believe that? _And all of them. Scarlet Fever. I just... can't..._ "

 

Since Yixing is already talking incoherently, Kyungsoo glances at Chanyeol through the rear mirror before focusing back on his task at hand. Yixing's Korean isn't so perfect yet, but Chanyeol is certain that his incoherent words are not because of that. The guy is just really, _really_ tired.

 

"What to do?" Kyungsoo quietly asks.

 

Not even two minutes on their way, Yixing is already snoring lightly. Chanyeol takes it upon himself to carefully place the cups of coffee next to him in the backseat so he can reach an arm out to the front and buckle Yixing's safety belt. "Let's just take another turn at least for five more minutes. We still have like thirty minutes, right?"

 

"Okay. But I swear if those idiots aren't really sick, they'd find themselves in emergency room and I'm not going to be gentle on them."

 

"Sounds like a plan," Chanyeol agrees.

 

So instead of taking a turn, Kyungsoo drives ahead as they listen to light music. Good thing, both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo spent the night at Chanyeol's house and both of them have had enough of good sleep and full breakfast, a _japchae special_ courtesy of Kyungsoo. They've had days where they lack sleep, too, so they can relate entirely to what Yixing feels. They've never had triple shifts, however, and Chanyeol can only imagine how the more difficult that would be.

 

Ten minutes after their drive, Kyungsoo parks in his usual space in the basement parking and carefully wakes up the sleeping man. Yixing sits up with a jolt. "Oh, God. How long was I out?" he nervously asks.

 

"Relax, hyung. Just a couple of minutes longer," Kyungsoo tells him.

 

Yixing takes a sigh of relief before slapping his own cheeks lightly. "Just three more hours to go," he mumbles, taking off his seatbelt.

 

They take the elevator and all head up to the ground floor. Chanyeol is checking on his phone for any updates about his son from Mr. Kang or Bo-gum when they hear a commotion close to the emergency area.

 

_"I don't care! I don't trust these doctors, Minah,"_ a voice of a man yells over someone and a lot of the hospital's guards on duty are already around them, trying to take the situation under control.

 

"What the hell is going on?" Kyungsoo absently says, sipping his coffee. The three of them are now standing still in front of the elevator halls to head to their offices.

 

"Hey, I'd take it from here," Yixing says with a smile, gesturing to the cups that Chanyeol is still carrying. "Thank you."

 

"Oh," Chanyeol blurts out, giving the holder to Yixing. "It's cold now, though."

 

Yixing just shakes his head. "It's alright. They're not mine, anyway."

 

Chanyeol gets confused briefly but then they hear another series of curses and yells. All heads turn back to the scene close to the emergency area.

 

"Hey, come on," Kyungsoo murmurs, nudging Chanyeol lightly. "We still have work to do, _doctor._ "

 

"Dr. Do!" a nurse calls out. Her blue dishevelled scrubs and messy hair both clear indications of the trouble she's coming from. "Dr. Park, we need you."

 

"We're not even logged in yet," Kyungsoo tells her. "Where are the others? What's going on?"

 

"I'm still on duty." Yixing, who seems to have sobered up completely from his tired state after hearing the echoing yells, too, cuts in. "What's up?"

 

The nurse takes a deep breath. "This ahjussi. Well, he's not too old. His sister brought his daughter to ER because the little girl was hit by a car. She has severe injuries and is already unconscious; she needs a neurosurgeon, as per Dr. Choi. She has to be transferred to OR now but the father won't let anyone else take care of the child. He even accidentally hit Dr. Jung in the face!" The girl covers her face with her shaking hands. "Or maybe that wasn't an accident at all."

 

Chanyeol feels a squeeze in his chest. It's not uncommon for them to receive children in the ER. It is, however, the first time he's heard a parent protesting against it.  _What could be more important than the safety of the child?_

 

"Give this to Jongin. He's on the second floor, he'd know what to do," Yixing tells the almost crying nurse, handing her the cups of coffee. She nods absently and the man pats the top of her head with a friendly smile. "You did a great job. Go ahead and clean yourself up."

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo glance at each other before they both shrug, finishing the last drops of their now almost cold coffee.

 

"What a great way to jumpstart the morning," Kyungsoo mumbles with a little distaste. Because if there's anything that ER people hate, it's those who are just so impatient and demanding, as if the doctors and nurses are not doing their best to assist everyone. Or in this case, those people who would just throw a tantrum and not consider the other patients who are here for an actual recovery.

 

They follow Yixing towards the ER entrance while nurses and other people make way for them. "What's going on here?" Yixing gently asks one of the nurses who are trying to hold back the guy.

 

"Doc, can we give him _something?_ He's been causing too much trouble and it would be really helpful if we can just  _knock him off_ ," the nurse tells them in a low voice. "Are we gonna get in trouble if we do that?"

 

_"We need to trust them, oppa. You have to let them do what they have to or she's not gonna make it,"_  the girl who's standing and crying in front of the thrashing man begs.  _"Snap out of it!"_

 

Yixing's eyebrows are furrowing and all Chanyeol can do is observe what's going to happen. "Let him go. I'll handle it," Yixing instructs.

  
Chanyeol glances at Kyungsoo who's now leaning against the closest wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He's just staring with unreadable eyes on _that man,_ leaving Chanyeol with no other choice but to just look at the center of the scene, too. The man is not much taller than his best friend and despite the now messed up hair, Chanyeol can tell it was previously styled to perfection—probably before he got here and started flailing around. He's wearing a navy blue suit with white dress shirt underneath that's now obviously stained with a lot of blood. If he didn't have these stains all over him, Chanyeol could have mistaken him as an idol or something. But his bleeding temple is much of a distraction that Chanyeol can barely appreciate his angelic face. The corner of his mouth has a scratch, too. Come to think of it, the more Chanyeol studies him, the more he realizes that he needs medical attention, too, and everyone else seems to ignore that.

 

_"I am Dr. Zhang Yixing,"_ Yixing introduces himself cautiously as the other people back away from the man. "I don't know what happened yet, but we're here to—"

 

"Don't you dare lie to me _again_ about wanting to help people," the man says in a low voice. "You're all liars. And I'm not going to let my daughter die in your arms."

 

_Everyone is quietly watching their exchange._

 

"I'm not lying. This man," Yixing points towards Chanyeol's direction who merely stares, "...he's Dr. Park, and he has a kid, too. He wouldn't do anything that would intentionally harm your daughter."

 

But as soon as the last person let go of the man, he starts lunging himself forward to attack one of the other ER doctors who's been on duty before Kyungsoo and Chanyeol himself. Yixing is quick to react by pulling back the shorter's forearm. The man is clearly caught off guard by this, almost losing his balance. Before he falls face first, though, Yixing is already steadying him by pinning him against the wall. It's almost as if everything is happening in the slowest motion as Chanyeol witnesses Yixing manhandling the guy, with the psychiatrist pressing his body against the smaller's while holding both his arms captive on either side of him. Yixing has the man literally trapped between himself and the wall, his face close to the other's left ear. Even with the doctor's low voice and the other man's struggled breathing, everyone can still hear what he says clearly...

 

"I don't want you unconscious while your daughter is in the operating room. And you wouldn't want that, too. But if you won't give us any choice, that might just happen." Yixing pulls slightly away to glance at his left hand. He frowns a little, urging Chanyeol take a step forward and see what's going on.

 

"Hyung, your wrist is bleeding," Chanyeol worries. Now, just because it's only a  _little scratch_  doesn't mean it's not gonna be harmful. Yixing has a condition that most of the doctors here are aware of, a condition in which he easily bleeds. And when he bleeds, _he bleeds a lot._ And he bleeds longer than other normal people. "You need to go to the ER," Chanyeol tells him firmly.

 

"No, it's alright. I can manage," Yixing says without looking. Instead, he looks back at the now confused man in front of him. "What's your name?"

 

The man seems to be internally arguing with himself, whether to tell the doctor about his personal detail or just keep being stubborn. Whatever the man decides, Chanyeol is set on convincing Yixing to get his wound taken care of first. And maybe, it's Yixing's kind heart that reaches to the other so before Chanyeol can speak again, he hears a soft voice cracking a single word,  _"Junmyeon."_

 

"Junmyeon?" Yixing repeats.

 

The man in front of the doctor nods his head, still with a pained expression. His eyes are glassy with unshed tears, his nose and cheeks tinted red.

 

"Okay, Junmyeon-ssi. I'm going to explain this real quick so you have to listen. I don't want to make this too personal, but I have no other choice and we need your permission to take care of your daughter _now._ I haven't had a proper sleep for two days since I'm on a triple shift. My psychological state will slowly and temporarily drop down to my basic conscious reasons because I'm not well at the moment. I have  _hemophilia._ Which means, if I don't get treated right away for this wound that your expensive cufflink has unintentionally inflicted on me by your struggle, I'm going to be in a lot of blood loss and intense fatigue for lack of peace of mind. _But I'm offering you a bargain._ "

 

"Dr. Zhang, your wound," Kyungsoo cuts him off with an undertone.

 

But Yixing goes on with his deal. "The ER doctors will prioritize your daughter. The neurosurgeon would do his best, too. If they hurt her, _intentionally,_ then no one is allowed to treat my hand. I'm going to have to suffer more if I have to do it myself but I'm gonna put that in line as a reassurance for your daughter. Now, I'm going to _trust_ your daughter's life _and mine_ in your hands. _We're strangers to each other, I know, but we'll both have a lot at cost._ If you don't make a decision now, she's going to lose a lot of blood, and so am I. Fair enough?"

 

The man worriedly looks at the doctor's hand that's holding onto his right arm, only to see blood already dripping excessively out of it onto the floor. He winces slightly, looking back up at the doctor. He seems conflicted. Chanyeol can tell that he's not a bad person. Maybe a little misunderstood, or maybe something bad happened to him in the past for him to lose trust in doctors, but he's not that bad.

 

"Just..." the man quietly starts off, closing his eyes briefly. _"...just take care of her well, please,"_ the man finally gives in, looking down with a defeated sigh. _"D-don't let her die. Please. Please..."_

 

Yixing gives him a small reassuring smile, nodding towards the other ER doctors and the still stunned neurosurgeon standing around them to start the emergency operation procedure. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo warily walk towards Yixing as some of the ER people tend to the kid. Yixing seems to be waiting for the others to disappear first before deciding it's safe to loosen up. Slowly, he lets go of his hold on the man named _Junmyeon,_ taking deep, steadying breaths. But when he tries to stand up on his own feet, he instantly loses his balance.

 

"Hyung!" Kyungsoo worriedly calls him, making both him and Chanyeol pause on their tracks.

 

_Fortunately, the Junmyeon guy chooses to give him a kind pay back, holding him by the waist just in time._

 

"God, don't just stand there! Help him," he yells this time at no one in particular, carefully lifting the doctor's wounded hand and keeping an arm draped around him.

 

"I'm... fine," Yixing mumbles before completely losing consciousness.

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are quick to help, with Kyungsoo running for a wheelchair while Chanyeol throws the uninjured arm of the other doctor over his shoulders. "Hang on, hyung. I got you," he tells the unconscious doctor.

 

This has been one of the most eventful shifts they've had in the hospital with a major plot twist. Because now, the man is non-stop telling everyone to do their best for the two people he single-handedly put in danger this morning by delaying the emergency procedure. And it's not even lunch time yet. 

 

While taking care of Yixing's wound, Chanyeol feels heavy pounds in his chest and he doesn't like it. It's starting to worry him a lot that he doesn't know how Chanhyun is doing right now. Seeing three other kids being rushed to the ER afterwards isn't helping his anxiety, too. He decides to check on his son as soon as he gets the chance.

 

~

 

"What do you mean it isn't working?" Luhan deadpans with disinterest.

 

Baekhyun walks into his office after doing his best to dodge Tiffany's morning updates. He hasn't had any coffee yet and he's not about to listen to business with his snappy attitude at the moment. After throwing his suit jacket on one of his couches, he flops tiredly on the long couch, letting his smartphone drop on the carpeted floor. He fixes the bluetooth headset on his right ear. "I mean, he's not showing any signs, fucker. I don't even know if he really received those presents. This _bribing scheme_ idea of yours isn't working and it's wasting my time."

 

"Well, technically, the kid asked you for a week. And you agreed. _It's just Friday, baby._ Maybe you should understand what  _space_ and  _time_  meant for other people."

 

"Tell that to my father who doesn't understand what those two words meant. He's been practically overusing his rights to scold me over the phone the whole week."

 

"At least, we both know you inherited a trait from him."

 

Baekhyun sighs. "What am I gonna do, Lu? My son doesn't seem to be interested with whatever I'm giving him."

 

"It really sounds weird hearing you say something like that," Luhan sneers. "Did you send him the necklace?"

 

"I did," Baekhyun answers, closing his eyes. "Why did it need to be Park, though?  _Byun Chan Hyun_  would have sounded better."

 

"Because you need to make him think that you're not going to force him to forget his other father. That way, he would know you're a friendly."

 

"I want him to forget the other one, though."

 

"Well, with your train of ideas, you're really not gonna get anywhere near him, you bastard."

 

Baekhyun turns to lie on his side. "What am I gonna do if he doesn't show up tomorrow?"

 

"You sue the Parks, of course," Luhan tells him with conviction. "It's your right to have the kid..." he adds, trailing off before finally letting out a small,  _"I think."_

 

"He's beautiful, Luhan. You should've seen him."

 

Luhan turns quiet for a couple of seconds before he breathes out. "Baekhyun, I have seen Chaehyun in person with my own eyes. And you're the most adorbale-looking mochi I've ever seen. Save for my little baozi Minseok, of course, but that's not it. I know your love child with anyone would be beautiful."

 

"I didn't love her, though."

 

Luhan groans. "Of course, you would always be the grade A asshole."

 

"Luhan, let's meet up. I think I need you to physically comfort me," Baekhyun whines. "I feel so depressed. I've never been this depressed before. I'm depressed."

 

With a chuckle, Luhan gently tells him, "You're not drunk so don't start feeling all clingy. I gotta go. Good luck with that kid. I'm just here at my Gwangju branch, call me if you need more preaching. Love you!"

 

Before Baekhyun can say something smart back, he hears the busy tone and he grunts inwardly. He throws his headset next to his phone on the floor.

 

He hasn't been having his well-deserved sleep and rest lately because of his troubles. Winter is the busiest season in their business and it doesn't help that his son is not making his life easier for him. It's ironic how Baekhyun had initially thought that his child's appearance is going to be the end of his family's misery, and now it's one of the major sources of his problems. But since it's already here, he decides to just let himself get drowned in his sea of anxiety until everything magically falls back to their rightful places. Which he knows is impossible.

 

With an exasperated sigh, he lazily stands up, picks up his suit jacket, phone, and headset, and walks to his swivel chair. He turns his laptop on to check for business emails when the phone rings.

 

"Not now, Tiffany," he quickly dismisses after picking up the call. He hangs up and turns back to focus on his screen.

 

The phone rings again, making Baekhyun frustratedly pull on his hair. "WHAT?!"

 

"M-Mr. Byun! I swear on my life, this is very important. Someone is on line **1** and you have to talk to him."

 

Before he can answer, his secretary has already placed him on line. To say that Baekhyun is surprised is an understatement. He is way beyond _shocked_ when he answers line **1** call that Tiffany says is important. "Hello?"

 

_"Am I speaking with Mr. Byun?"_

 

_OH, GOD. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?!_

 

Even without confirming, Baekhyun is sure that the little voice on the other line is owned by none other than Park Chanhyun himself. He presses a hand against his chest to keep his heart beats steady, deciding to humor the little guy with his formalities. "Yes. Who am I speaking to?"

 

"I have personally called to ask for an appointment, Mr. Byun. I hope you can make time," the little guy tells him.

 

Baekhyun almost squeals at how adorable it sounds like. He doesn't want to overwhelm the kid, though. One wrong answer, he might lose him again. And probably for a longer time, too. But he can't stop the smile forming on his face. This scenario feels familiar to him, except that he wasn't the receiving end of it before. It's just like how he was when he was younger whenever he wanted to bother his father during working hours. _Chanhyun, it seems, still has a Byun in him, after all._

 

"Today would be great," he carefully says. "Would you like for me to send a chauffer for you, Mister..."

 

_"Park,"_ the kid says. "My name is Park Chanhyun. And, no. I can manage on my own alright, Mr. Byun. What time would you suggest? Because this is a very urgent matter, sir."

 

Baekhyun takes a deep breath to contain his excitement. His hopes have gone up higher than his tower. "An earlier time would be convenient," Baekhyun tells him. "How about we meet within an hour if this is as important as you claim it to be?"

 

"R-really?!" the kid stutters, as if disbelieving his father's words. Then he immediately composes himself. "I mean, sure. This is really, _really_ important. _And confidential, too._ You can't tell anyone about what we're going to talk about. Understand? I-I mean, is that okay, sir?"

 

Baekhyun slaps a hand against his mouth to stifle his laughter. He can't wait to see this little angel again. _His little angel._ "I understand, Mr. Park," he answers eventually. "Where shall we meet?"

 

"Very well, Mr. Byun. I would like to see your office, too."

 

Silence. Baekhyun has lost the ability to think for a moment, trying to absorb what the kid just said. _Did he just imply that he wants to visit an adult's working place?_

 

The kid finally takes pity on his confusion and tells him quietly, "Please, invite me."

 

Snapping out of it, Baekhyun clears his throat. "Okay, young man. Stop being so adorable and just get here whenever you're ready."

 

_"Okay! Thank you. See you later."_

 

Baekhyun shakes his head, smiling to himself. The kid's enthusiasm is so contagious, it makes him want to bite his cheeks once he sees him.

 

After ending the call, he quickly dials Tiffany's extension. "Cancel all my remaining apointments today."

 

He hears her gasping in disbelief. "Mr. Byun?!"

 

"Oh, and, get me something to eat. It has to be something that's good for children. Tick-tock."

 

"Y-yes, sir," Tiffany says.

 

_This day, he's set to close the deal with the Parks. By that, he means to win back his son and convince him to stay with him. He can't wait to get to his most important appointment of the day._

 


	8. Yeodeol

**WARNING: A smarty ahead. Be careful! (I warned you xD)**

**\---**

 

Baekhyun is still smiling to himself as he tries to fix his suit and tie after organizing some of the files scattered on his table within minutes. That conversation is all he needed to energize his morning and no amount of coffee can compare to it. He brushes his hair, too, and hums as he works around. Finally, his own son is trying to reach out to him this time. Perhaps, his best friend has been right about it all along. Now, he can't wait to get the kid to move in with him so he can keep his eyes on his future.

 

Walking back to his desk, he calls back his secretary. "Did you get the food?"

 

"They are delivering it now, sir." Baekhyun can almost hear the proud tone in her voice for thinking that she's finally doing something right.

 

"I changed my mind. Cancel the order. We'll just dine somewhere out."

 

He doesn't get to hear her puny protests when he ends the call. Thirty minutes later, his receiver starts ringing again.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Mr. Byun, there's a _Park Chanhyun_ waiting for you at the reception downstairs. He says he has an appointment with you but there's nothing on your sched—"

 

"You must address him as _'Mr. Park Chanhyun',_ Tiffany. Let him in," Baekhyun cuts her off.

 

It takes two seconds before Tiffany sinks in his message. "You mean, let the little kid in, sir?"

 

"That's what I said, right?"

 

"Uhm... O-okay. Which conference room, Mr. Byun?"

 

"Escort him here. In my office."

 

"O-oh! Okay, sir. I'll take it from here."

 

"Oh, and, Tiffany?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Byun?"

 

"Make sure everyone treats him like a royalty. This company is his as much as it is mine."

 

If Baekhyun can see Tiffany's face now, she must have one of her doumbfounded looks again. About three minutes after, he sees Tiffany with two tall men walking behind her, approaching the glassed doors of his office.

 

"Mr. Byun? He's here," Tiffany announces with a nervous smile.

 

"Don't let anyone disturb us or you're fired," Baekhyun quickly tells her before she nods, walking out.

 

The two men in black suits hold the door open for the little kid. Baekhyun smiles when he sees him wearing a light pink shorts with a matching blazer of the same color, over a white printed shirt and white printed sneakers. The kid looks like a huge fluffy pastel pink chapssaltteok in his eyes.

 

_He really is beautiful. Luhan should see him._

 

The kid stands in the middle of his huge office and gives him a respectful bow, with the two other men behind the kid doing the same. Baekhyun suddenly becomes conscious of his manners, standing up from his swivel chair to bow at them, too.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Byun," the kid greets him.

 

Baekhyun didn't think that the kid would carry on his formalities when they come face-to-face. He's been thinking that the kid is just trying to do a roleplay of some sort when they were on the phone but clearly, now, he knows that the kid is really doing this as a practice which isn't so bad at all. It makes him think that the kid is all the more ready for the kind of lifestyle he's in for.

 

"Good morning," Baekhyun greets back with a friendly smile. "Please, take a seat."

 

Chanhyun looks up to the man on his right. "Can I have the files now, Mr. Kang?"

 

The man nods, handing over a black folder to the kid.

 

"Please, leave us, gentlemen," Chanhyun says, scanning the folder in his little hands.

 

The two men walk out to stand right outside Baekhyun's door without asking. Baekhyun's eyes are bewildered in disbelief. How can such a small fluffy kid in his adorable clothes and cute little eyes act like he's the owner of the Empire State or something? How can he handle such control over people who are considered adults? Baekhyun can already imagine Chanhyun being a CEO one day and he's not even ten yet.

 

"I have a proposal to make, Mr. Byun," he declares in his soft little voice, walking over to the chair in front of Baekhyun's table.

 

Baekhyun is perplexed. "Oh. You do?"

 

The kid swiftly gets up on the chair to sit, handing over the folder across the desk. Then he stares up at Baekhyun expectantly after removing his pink blazer. "It's an agreement I have come up with and discussed with my lawyer. You may talk to me if you have any other demands."

 

[ ](https://saykoreanfanfiction.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/img_5713581106408.jpeg)

 

Baekhyun may be expecting a childish request to go out and buy toys or have ice cream. Or maybe a kid wanting to see an adult's office so he can mess around and play with anyone he finds funny. But it's certainly out of his expectations for his own _four-year-old_ son to come here and offer him a proposal with a formally written document to accompany it. "State your proposal," he formally says, too, deciding to reciprocate in whatever game Chanhyun is playing.

 

"You want me to _choose you,_ if I remember correctly. Does that mean you want me to stay with you, too?"

 

"Well, of course. I'm your father. You're supposed to be living with me."

 

"Then, that's where the problems lie, Mr. Byun. Because according to my legal documents, the only one who has custody over me is Mr. Park Chanyeol, who is also my only legal guardian, and all you can have over me is your _parental rights_. Those are in accordance with Family Court and Probate Court, too. Which means, if you own a company and you need an heir, you can pass it on to me but I'm not required to live with you. You're also allowed to support me financially, but I don't think Mr. Park Chanyeol would accept that offer."

 

Baekhyun holds back himself from looking stupid. It's not everyday that he gets to meet with a kid and discuss about legal matters like they're just talking about the latest episode of Pororo.

 

The kid goes on. "My proposal is, if you convince my legal guardian of your worth to take care of me by yourself, then I would willingly come with you without a fight."

 

This time, Baekhyun really does gape at the words. "Excuse me?"

 

"The only way for you to win custody over your child is by his legal guardian's consent. And if my guardian says he doesn't trust you, or you're not good enough, I'm afraid I can't trust you, too. I'm just four years old in the Western age system and barely five in Korean; I just turned _'man net sal'_ last fifth of August. Mr. Park Chanyeol has his guardianship and custody over me until I turn nineteen in Korean calendar. Only after then will I get my right to choose you. And even so, I can't promise I'd leave him for you when the time comes. But, see, if you let him know how far you're willing to go for the custody, he might change his mind. I suggest you start convincing him now, Mr. Byun. Because when it comes to me, it would take a lot of time for him to trust people."

 

_Rights. Courts. Custody. Consent. Age system. Trust._

 

These are just some of the things that Baekhyun never imagined to argue about with a kid and to think that the kid is his own son baffles him. He's clearly underestimating the child's capacity. And although he can't still make sense out of this conversation now, he knows he just doesn't want to make Chanhyun an heir for the heck of it. _He wants to make him his son, too._ This is as much as Baekhyun knows he deserves.

 

They end up in a silent staring battle for a few seconds and Chanhyun isn't even wavering a little. It's as if he knows exactly what he's doing and he's sure about what he's telling. "How do I know this isn't just _Park Chanyeol_ trying to manipulate you? How do I know that this is your proposal and not his?"

 

Chanhyun pouts, as if realizing one flaw in his perfect plans. "You can't tell him. He doesn't know I'm here. I told him I wanted an alone time with uncle Boggs to get ice cream. He'd be mad at my uncle if he finds out."

 

Baekhyun grins, leaning over his desk. "And how do you propose I _gain_ his trust?"

 

_"By living with us, of course."_

 

At that, Baekhyun starts cracking up, letting out a boisterous laughter. "Oh, my God. Okay. You're really a funny kid. And a great actor. Tell me, what exactly did _Park Chanyeol_ ask you to do? Because I'm sure a kid wouldn't come up with this."

 

Chanhyun scowls. It takes him longer to come up with a response and Baekhyun is starting to think that the kid is actually serious about coming up with this proposal without Park Chanyeol's influence in him. Now, the kid is looking down with a disappointed expression and Baekhyun hates it because he's not certain who it is for.

 

"I'm sorry for wasting our time, Mr. Byun," Chanhyun says in a lower voice. Gone is all his confidence and hopeful demeanor. "If you can't trust me, then I think it's going to be harder for me to trust you, too." Jumping off of his chair, Chanhyun puts back his blazer on and stands properly in front of the desk. He bows at his father once more. "Thank you for your consideration. Have a nice day, sir."

 

The kid leaves without looking back, his two chaperones running after him when they see him heading for the second elevator. Baekhyun frowns, realizing that the kid's parting words sound suspiciously familiar. _Are all Parks literally wishing everyone a great day after they just ruined it?_

 

He stands up and walks away from his desk before deciding to walk back to dial Tiffany's extension quickly. He's never been so undecided his entire life than now. These Parks are certainly driving him insane.

 

"Yes, Mr. Byun?"

 

"Tell the security team to not let the kid out of the building. I'm coming right after him now."

 

"At once, sir."

 

"And make sure they don't hurt him, do you understand?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Byun."

 

Baekhyun slams the phone back and takes his suit jacket as he runs towards his office doors. He takes his personal elevator and runs for it as soon as he reaches the ground floor. He instantly notices the little commotion by the lobby.

 

"It's alright, I know him," Baekhyun announces, walking closer to where a few of his security people are trying their best to block the three on their way.

 

Two more men in black enters his building holding something suspiciously behind them as they run towards the three.

 

"Daniel, what's going on?" one of the two asks one of Chanhyun's other chaperones.

 

Baekhyun starts freaking out again, noticing the gravity of their situation. "Whoa, whoa. No need to hurt anyone. It's alright. Everyone, please, calm down. I just need to have a minute alone with the Park kid."

 

They all let out different curses when the kid starts running away, but one of Baekhyun's security personnel catches him just in time before he reaches the door. He lifts the kid up by his waist and Chanhyun starts shrieking and flailing around, alarming all his personal bodyguards.

 

"Put him down!" the man Baekhyun assumes to be Mr. Kang yells at his employee.

 

"Let him go," Baekhyun orders him, too.

 

Gently, the man puts down the kid and all his four bodyguards stand around him in defense.

 

"Are you alright, Chanhyun-ssi?"

 

The kid fixes his blazer before nodding at one of his bodyguards. "We're leaving," he quietly says.

 

"Wait," Baekhyun calls after them before they can walk out of earshot. He looks around first to find the same man who caught his son earlier and points at him. "You're fired." Then he walks to where Chanhyun is standing, staring confused at him. When he's standing right in front of the kid, two of the bodyguards stand in his way. "Seriously?" he mutters.

 

"It's alright, Mr. Kang," Chanhyun reassures. "I know him."

 

"But, Chanhyun-ssi..."

 

"Mr. Kang, let him through. It's alright," Chanhyun tells him gently.

 

"You heard him, _Mr. Kang,_ " Baekhyun snarls at the guy, glaring. When all the unnecessary people in between them clear the way, Baekhyun crouches down to get closer to his son. "Can you come with me?"

 

Chanhyun stares at him first before answering. "Where?"

 

"I don't know. Dine out or something?"

 

The kid looks up at his bodyguards and all four of them have horrified looks on their faces. Baekhyun can only imagine the earful they'd get from whoever hired them to watch over the kid. "It wouldn't take too long, would it?" Chanhyun worries.

 

Baekhyun kneels in front of him to match his eye level. "Nope. Just two people talking over brunch about an _interesting proposal,_ nothing more."

 

"Okay." Chanhyun crosses his arms over his chest. "But _I_ decide where to go."

 

Baekhyun smiles. "Alright. We have a deal."

 

The kid looks up at his bodyguards again and stares longer at Mr. Kang. "It's alright. You can wait for me here," the kid tells him.

 

"Chanhyun-ssi!" the four of them quickly object.

 

"Mr. Kang, he's not going to hurt me."

 

"I knew it," one of the bodyguards say. "I knew it! We shouldn't have agreed to this. Chanyeol-ssi is going to have our asses handed to us. We should get back. No, we should tell him! We should call him and—"

 

"And _nothing,_ " Mr. Kang cuts him off. "Chanhyun-ssi is our boss, too, Seongwu. He's our boss first before the other Parks."

 

"I really like where your thoughts are going," Baekhyun remarks. He looks back at his kid. "Shall we?"

 

~

 

Baekhyun was expecting his son to lead him into a fast-food chain or food stalls that cater to children, but he never expected for the kid to lead him  _here._

 

**도식당서울**

 

 _Do Shikdang Seoul._ The name sounds familiar to Baekhyun, with all the black and silver theme, but that's not the point. Because now, as they stand in front of the luxurious diner, the lady receptionist holding a menu is looking at them, as if expecting something.

 

"Do you have a reservation, sir?" she finally asks.

 

Baekhyun almost runs a frustrated hand through his hair when he realizes that these places don't accept impomptu diners just like that. "No, we don't."

 

"I'm sorry, sir. The place is only exclusive for reservations and _Gold Card_ holders."

 

"I have one," Chanhyun excitedly chirps, searching through his white backpack.

 

Baekhyun smiles awkwardly at the lady before crouching down next to his son. "What are you doing?" he quietly asks.

 

When Chanhyun has finally found what he's been looking for, he smiles in victory. "There you are!" he exclaims, holding a piece of a golden card.

 

The lady receptionist seems a little surprised, too, taking the card from the little kid's small hand. _"Welcome back, Mr. Park,"_ she says, opening the door for them.

 

All Baekhyun can do is gather his shits together to avoid looking stupid. How come his son has a gold card in a place like this when he doesn't even seem to be let out of his house without bodyguards?

 

Once Baekhyun inhales the scent of classic Korean cuisine, that's when everything starts making sense in his head. This is the same diner, albeit a different branch, where he met with Park Chanyeol before they went to Busan.

 

"Are you a regular here or something?" he playfully asks his son who's now holding his hand.

 

A different waiter is now leading them to an empty table and Chanhyun seems just as excited as he is. "I am. And I know the chefs and the owner, too!"

 

Baekhyun chuckles at his enthusiasm. Maybe the place is really well-known for kids to know the names of the chefs and the owner.

 

"When we were in your _working place,_ you pointed at this one ahjussi and told him he's _fired,_ " Chanhyun says once they're already seated across each other. He's letting Baekhyun look over the menu because he has already given the waiter his orders before even looking at what's being served.

 

Baekhyun glances at him then looks back at the menu in his hands. "Because he hurt you," he answers nonchalantly.

 

"Uhm... What does it mean when you said he's 'fired'?"

 

"It means he's no longer going to work for me."

 

"Why?"

 

Baekhyun closes the menu and stares at his son with a serious face. "Because he hurt you," he repeats. "And I specifically instructed my secretary to tell them _not_ to hurt you."

 

The kid instantly looks guilty after hearing this. "I'm not hurt, though. Just... a little surprised, is all."

 

"Still. You should learn this as early as now, Chanhyun. You earn people's respect by showing them who's boss. My job is to make sure everyone is doing their jobs and soon, when you're older, you're going to do the same."

 

"But... _Daddy_ said I would earn respect by being respectful, too. He said, _we all reap what we sow._ "

 

"Do you even understand what that means?"

 

Chanhyun blinks up at him. _"It means if we plant a seed of kindness, then we will harvest just the same."_

 

"No. It means people are _afraid_ of what they deserve so they _play safe_ by doing the _easiest_ thing to do, which is by being _kind._ "

 

"But that's not true."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

The kid looks like he's in an emotional confusion but decides to answer, anyway. "It's not easy being kind. It's difficult being kind, especially to people who make it tempting to be _unkind,_ instead. But _daddy_ makes it look so easy, I almost can't believe it sometimes."

 

Baekhyun sighs deeply. "You should really stop calling him that, you know."

 

"Call him what?"

 

"Calling him _'daddy'._ Stop it."

 

Again, Chanhyun seems confused. "Why?"

 

"Because I'm your father. I'm the one you're supposed to call _'daddy'_."

 

"But I got used to it."

 

"Well, you're gonna have to do something about that because you can't address me as 'Mr. Byun' forever."

 

"How about _'Papa'_?"

 

"I don't like it. It sounds gay."

 

_"Aren't you gay?"_

 

Baekhyun gapes at him. "Excuse me?"

 

"Are you not gay, Papa?"

 

  
"What?!" Baekhyun presses his index fingers on both of his temples, closing his eyes briefly. "Chanhyun, do you even know what that word means?"

 

The kid pouts. "Which one?"

 

"Gay. Do you know what _'gay'_ is?"

 

"Oh. It means 'happy'. Are you not?"

 

"Okay. That's different. Being gay is... It's just _different,_ okay? The definition is different from what you know."

 

Chanhyun furrows his eyebrows. "But... I have three dictionaries saying it means 'happy'."

 

Baekhyun pinches the bridge of his nose this time. "You're not supposed to have _dictionaries_ in your age. You're not even supposed to know how to read yet. What is that Park Chanyeol feeding you?"

 

Chanhyun grins at him. Baekhyun almost believes that the kid is enjoying the view of his frustrated father. "We ate japchae this morning."

 

"Your innocence is going to kill me one day. Just... Not 'Papa'," he warns. "It sounds gay. Well, since we're already at it and you don't understand it yet, yes, _I'm gay,_ but I don't like being called 'Papa'."

 

"I'll call you 'Appa' then since you're Korean. Or, would you prefer _'Abeoji'_?"

 

"Do that and I'll call you _'chapssaltteok'_ since you look like a fluffy rice cake in that pastel pink wrapper."

 

Chanhyun crosses his arms over the table with a mischievous smile. "Are you trying to insult my choice of fashion, _Papa?_ "

 

Baekhyun clenches his teeth before finally giving in. "Okay, 'Appa' is better."

 

"Uhm... sir? Can I take your orders, please?" the waiter politely cuts in, obviously not wanting to witness anymore childish arguments. Baekhyun finally tells him that he's getting the same as what the child has ordered.

 

They're in the middle of their meal when Baekhyun decides to open up the conversation about his son's deal again. "So... what's your plan?"

 

Chanhyun swallows a mouthful of his bulgogi first before placing his chopsticks next to his bowl. "You should've read the contract I gave you, appa. I can't possibly memorize all of them."

 

"What's in that contract, anyway?"

 

Chanhyun takes a gulp of his red tea and wipes his mouth with his napkin. "That I, Park Chanhyun, is responsible for any consequences that may occur as a result of my proposal. And, with my best interest, will personally ask the court of law to have my custody transferred to my biological father if my plans don't work."

 

Baekhyun stares skeptically at him. "You would really do that?"

 

Chanhyun nods. "Yes."

 

"What exactly do you aim in this proposal? Because I fail to see how anyone would benefit from this."

 

"I just have to try something. Just trust me. Please?"

 

Baekhyun grimaces when he starts thinking about it. What if Chanyeol lived in a small house? The three of them would have to suffer claustrophobia and it would be really awkward to move around. "You mean, I'm really going to have to live with you and _daddy Park_?"

 

Chanhyun nods again with a little scowl. "Yes."

 

"But we have to meet halfways in that deal. That's how negotiations work."

 

"And that's why I told you, you can tell me your demands."

 

Baekhyun considers it for a moment. If Luhan's here, he's probably gonna laugh at how Baekhyun looks stupid for actually making a deal with a child. But his gut tells him to take the deal, or else he's never going to win the child's trust at all. "We're going to live in _my_ house. You get to be with the person you're comfortable being with, I get to be in a place I'm comfortable being in, then we're even."

 

Chanhyun thinks about it for a moment before smiling widely. "Okay. Deal."

 

Baekhyun reaches a hand out to shake with the little kid's. "Okay, I'm in. Deal."

 

"But you can't tell anyone about it."

 

Baekhyun frowns. "How about Chanyeol? Does he know?"

 

The kid presses his palms against his cheeks. "No. I'm planning to tell him about my proposed arrangement tomorrow when we're supposed to meet you."

 

"What? Why don't you just tell him about it later?"

 

Chanhyun places his arms on the table and plays with Baekhyun's hands. "Because if he gets more time to think about it, he's going to end up not doing anything against your condition. He's _t_ _hat_ nice."

 

Baekhyun looks at their hands, too, and smiles to himself. "And how is that bad for me? In fact, I can just wait until tomorrow for him to give you back to me, and everything's fine."

 

"No. He's going to leave me under your care because he believes it's my right to get to know you. But that doesn't mean he's going to hand over the custody so you still, by definition, don't have me. He can take me away anytime he wishes to."

 

Baekhyun glares. "What?! Seriously?"

 

Chanhyun gives him a nonchalant shrug. _"Seriously."_

 

"That bastard."

 

"No cursing, appa."

 

"Sorry, force of habit. Just..." Baekhyun throws his hands in the air. "What other choice do I have now?"

 

"You can choose to trust me and in time, _everything will fall back into their rightful places._ "

 

Baekhyun scowls, hearing that. Just this morning, he's been hoping for the same thing before he realized it was impossible. And just then, he received a call from his son and now the same kid is telling him his exact thoughts. "No shit," he mumbles.

 

"So tomorrow," Chanhyun continues with newfound hope, "...you're going to help me convince my daddy."

 

He squints his eyes. "What? No."

 

"You have to. Or else, this isn't going to work."

 

"Now, you're blackmailing me. You're just like your..."

 

Chanhyun blinks up at him with his innocent eyes. "Just like what?"

 

"Nothing," Baekhyun quickly dismisses, thinking how it's really not the time to talk about the kid's mother. "I'll try my best tomorrow but I can't promise you anything. You see, Chanyeol and I... We just don't see eye-to-eye so if I intervene with your plans, it might end up more in a disaster."

 

Chanhyun blows out a lungful of air. He sits up straight then looks at his watch with wide eyes. "Oh, no. He's going to be on his lunch break in fifteen minutes. We have to go back! He's going to call!"

 

Panicked, Baekhyun calls for the waiter so he can pay for their bill. He frantically takes out his black card and they sit there in anticipation.

 

"Stop fidgeting. You're making me nervous," Baekhyun tells the kid.

 

"I'm making you nervous? Daddy is going to be angry if he finds out I'm gone!"

 

"Well, that's not my fault now, is it? Just stop fidgeting. We'll get there in time."

 

_"Chanhyun?"_

 

Just then, as the waiter hands them their final bill, a middle-aged man stops by their table with a warm smile on his face. He's wearing a light blue dress shirt tucked to a white dress pants, and his hair is set neatly up. Baekhyun can't believe that someone from a high-end diner would recognize his son. _His son who's not even old enough to have his own Gold Card as a regular in this diner._

 

"Park Chanhyun. It really is you!"

 

The kid stands up from his seat to give the stranger a polite bow. Baekhyun, however, just gives the man a friendly smile and a hand wave which the man returns with a small nod and a smile. He proceeds to hand the waiter his black card while the kid is talking to the stranger.

 

"Good day, Mr. Do. How are you doing?" Chanhyun asks.

 

"I'm doing fine, Mr. Park. We're glad to have you here. How are you? And who's your friend?"

 

Baekhyun raises his eyebrows when Chanhyun glances at him. For a second there, he's thinking that the kid would deny him. But he's surprised when Chanhyun introduces him with a warm smile.

 

 _"He's my father."_ Chanhyun holds his hand, taking him by surprise, and smiles up at him proudly. "Go on, appa. Introduce yourself to the _owner_ of this lovely diner."

 

Baekhyun almost splutters upon hearing who's actually standing right in front of them. "Oh. Hello, my name is Byun Baekhyun. How are you?"

 

The older just smiles at him with a hint of confusion in his eyes. "I'm _Do Kwangsoo._ Pleased to meet you. How do you know this kid here?"

 

Baekhyun looks back at his son who's still smiling up at him with all the glitters and sparkles in his eyes. He almost coos at it but then he remembers the presence of another person.

 

"He's my son," he tells Mr. Do.

 

This time, the man is visibly perplexed. "How... How is _that_ possible?"

 

"It's complicated," Chanhyun explains for him. "But I have you know that he's my father, too... and he happens to _love chapssaltteok_ a lot."

 

Mr. Do seems to have settled with that, nodding his head with a knowing smile. He even throws Baekhyun a suggestive wiggle of eyebrows and it takes him a few seconds to finally understand what the man is probably thinking now. He decides to just let it fall on that, though. It's going to be a lot more difficult to explain their situation further.

 

"I see," Mr. Do says while patting Chanhyun on top of his head. "I'll go ahead and tell the chef to send you our special box of chapssaltteok, then. It's on the house." He turns to face Baekhyun once again with a friendly smile. "Please accept it as a gift."

 

They exchange polite bows before the man finally leaves them.

 

"How do you even know if I really love chapssaltteok?"

 

"You have no other choice, appa. You have to love it, it's a requirement. _Particularly the one that wears pastel pink._ " Then Chanhyun gives him a playful wink.

 

Baekhyun just laughs at the action, shaking his head. "You're really something. Alright, from now on, you're _my favorite chapssaltteok._ "

 

~

 

"I'm late. I'm so late."

 

"No, you're not," Baekhyun reassures the kid.

 

"My daddy is going to be really angry."

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes while buckling his son's seatbelt. "Stop freaking out. Besides, what's the worse he can do? If he gets mad, you can always tell me and I'd give him a piece of my mind."

 

"My daddy is going to be angry. He might hurt uncle Boggs. Or get Mr. Kang _fired._ He's gonna be mad. It's all my fault. I betrayed him. He's going to get me fired, too!"

 

Baekhyun holds the kid's face firmly in between his hands. "No, because he's never gonna find out. You're going home and convince him to come with you tomorrow as we agreed, and you would never talk about this conversation with him. He would never know."

 

He frowns when the kid holds his hands, too, and presses them harder against his cheeks. The kid resembles a funny goldfish now, making Baekhyun giggle a little. "He's gonna be mad. We shouldn't have gone to my favorite diner. I shouldn't have involved uncle Boggs. I shouldn't have put Mr. Kang in danger." Then he looks away. "Daddy will be so angry, I'm sure of this."

 

Baekhyun forces him to look back. "I said, calm down. If you don't stop freaking out, then he would really get mad at 'uncle Boggs' and Mr. Kang. So keep your cool. Do you understand?"

 

The kid nods absently.

 

"Answer me."

 

"Okay. I understand."

 

Just as Baekhyun stares at his beautiful face, he notices the silver line around the child's neck and traces it.

 

_It's the necklace he gave him yesterday._

 

Baekhyun touches it, careful not to startle the kid. The pendant has been hidden under his shirt all this time. Before he freaks out the child once more, he kisses his forehead, feeling a light flutter in his stomach. The kid smells just like _Park Chanyeol—_ only with lesser punch of the vodka and more sweetness of the chocolate. "Good," he absently murmurs. "Relax, baby. We're heading back to my office now and I'll talk to Mr. Kang."

 

~

 

Chanyeol has been feeling uneasy the whole day. He wasn't able to call Mr. Kang during lunch break because he barely even had enough time to go on a bathroom break. The ER had been busier today but he's been texting Bo-gum and Mr. Kang for updates, nonstop. It bothers him that all they ever tell him is that _Chanhyun is alright._  So instead of riding a bus like he usually would whenever he doesn't have his car with him, he eagerly accepts Kyungsoo's offer to give him a ride home.

 

"What's the hurry?" Kyungsoo asks as Chanyeol dials the home phone.

 

"He never called the whole day."

 

"You were busy."

 

"I would have been able to excuse myself for thirty seconds if they actually called."

 

"Calm down, Chanyeol. I bet he was just busy, too, with his ice cream date. He literally has bodyguards and all the presidential shit. If they noticed anything wrong, you're the first one to get notified."

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "We're never too busy for each other, Soo. Even when he was in Busan, his nannies would send me pictures of his activities the whole day. Now, I'm stuck with a text message saying he's alright. I swear to God, if something happened—"

 

"If nothing happened, you owe me a lunch date with my Chanhyunnie."

 

"I'd date you and my son without having to bet on this. I just..." Chanyeol almost throws his phone away when he doesn't get an answer after dialing Mr. Kang's phone for the third time. "Oh, God. I am never leaving Bo-gum in charge again."

 

"Come on. What's the worst that could happen?"

 

Anything. Anything _could_  happen. From Chanhyun accidentally tripping on his foot to a crazy CEO kidnapping the child in his temporary absence— _anything could happen._ It was easier when he went to work with the kid and his bodyguards staying in his office in the hospital. The idea of leaving him with only his bodyguards and one nanny, with Bo-gum's vague reports about how the child is doing, is clearly a mistake on his part that he promises never to make again.

 

He looks out the window with a strained sigh before hearing the familiar tone of his phone. He quickly picks up the call with shaky hands.

 

"What happened?" he snaps.

 

"Chanyeol-ssi, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to answer your call. I was driving and—"

 

"You were driving? Where did you go?"

 

"I was buying something from the market—"

 

"I sent you messages a bunch of times and asked you to call me. I never got one. Now, you're calling me even when you're driving. Where's Chanhyun?"

 

"He's... He's at home, sir."

 

"What?! If you're not with him, then... who's looking after my son?"

 

There's a pause. "Chanhyun-ssi is alright, sir. He's with Seongwu and the rest."

 

And Chanyeol can care less about how the man is addressing him—Mr. Kang is obviously intimidated at how Chanyeol is speaking with so much authority now. No one can blame him, though. He just really, _really_  gets easily affected when it comes to the kid. "Why isn't there anyone picking up the home phone, then?"

 

"What?! You were calli—I mean, I-I'm sorry, Chanyeol-ssi. Maybe something's wrong with the home phone. I'll call you back as soon as I get there."

 

Chanyeol glared at his phone when the call ends.

 

"So what's up?" Kyungsoo asks.

 

"Mr. Kang is not at home."

 

Kyungsoo glances at him with furrowed eyebrows before focusing back on the road. "Why not? Where are they?"

 

Chanyeol gazes at his best friend, thinking deeply. "He said he left Chanhyun at home."

 

"See?" Kyungsoo gives him a noncommittal shrug. "They're safe. Stop worrying."

 

"Okay."

 

Kyungsoo sighs. "I said, stop worrying. Why do you still look so bothered?"

 

Chanyeol stares ahead with a deep frown. He thinks about those days when Chanhyun kept complaining about how Mr. Kang won't leave him alone, even when he needed to go to the bathroom. While he ran around in the garden, or whenever the kid's grandparents wanted to talk, the bodyguard would always be staying close. Chanyeol takes a shaky breath before finally answering...  _"Because Mr. Kang never leaves Chanhyun to anyone else aside from me."_

 

~

 

 _'Geob-ina ganghaji mothan na,_  
_Neo eobshin mueotdo anin na,_  
 _I mamsog-e, neo hanaman ango algo sara-on nal...'_

 

Chanyeol quietly listens as Kyungsoo keeps humming his favorite song under his breath— _Gidae, by Na Yoon Kwon_. This has been his best friend's way to put him at ease since he knows Chanyeol loves listening to calming voices—one of them being his best friend's. At least while they're waiting patiently for the traffic lights to go green, Chanyeol doesn't have to agitate himself further by wallowing in silence. The trick works just fine until they have to move again, the steady motion making Chanyeol think back to the possible reasons for his son to miss him the whole day.

 

They arrive in front of Chanyeol's gate fifteen minutes later and Kyungsoo gives him a light shove. "Stop with this worrying, okay? Look, Chanhyun's service is already here, I can see the cars through the gaps under your gates. I bet he's just waiting for you inside."

 

"Thank you for the ride. Drive safely, okay?" Chanyeol says instead.

 

"Yeah, I was planning to invite you and Chanhyun over for a dinner since my father is asking me to run a little errand in this nearby branch. But I guess you need this time alone with him. You know. It's _Saturday_ tomorrow."

 

Chanyeol looks down, taking a lungful of air. "I know. Thank you, Soo. We'll have that dinner someday." He looks up one last time to give his best friend a sad smile before quickly unbuckling his seatbelt and leaving the car.

 

While taking off his shoes and placing his coat neatly over the coat rack, Chanyeol looks around the hallway to see any signs of _anyone at all._ "I'm home," he announces loudly.

 

He walks into the living room but no one's there. His heart starts beating faster with each of the steps he takes, making him feel anxious.

 

"Chanhyun?" he calls out. "Mr. Kang?"

 

He walks up the stairs and knocks on his son's door. He breathes out a deep sigh of relief when he hears that small, familiar voice calling out, "Come in!"

 

Chanyeol quickly turns the knob and his eyes automatically search for that little figure. Chanhyun is sitting right there, leaning against his headboard with his eyeglasses on and a book in his little hands. "Hello, daddy," he greets with an innocent smile. "How's work?"

 

Before answering, Chanyeol strides into the kid's bedroom and takes his son into his arms protectively. "You scared me," he murmurs.

 

"W-what do you mean?" Chanhyun asks with a nervous voice.

 

Chanyeol pulls away slightly, taking off the kid's glasses. "I never heard your voice for a whole day."

 

The kid sighs, too, and then giggles. "Daddy, I'm just right here."

 

Chanyeol nods, embracing him again. He feels Chanhyun playing with his ears.

 

"I missed you, daddy," the kid whispers.

 

Chanyeol closes his eyes. If it's possible, his hug has gone tighter. "I missed you more, Hyunnie."

 

_"It's hard to miss each other, isn't it?"_

 

Chanyeol nods in agreement. _"Very."_

 

It takes the kid a few seconds before voicing out a serious response,  _"That's why I intend to never miss you again."_

 

Frowning, Chanyeol pulls a little away to stare at his son's face who immediately gives him a wide smile. "You're weird," he remarks. "Is everything alright?"

 

Chanhyun nods eagerly. "Everything's perfect. Let's sit down for a while so we can talk about your day."

 

Deciding to let it pass this time, Chanyeol puts the kid back in his bed and sits next to him. They both lean against the headboard. "Where shall we start?"

 

They talk more, with Chanhyun bombarding his father questions after questions about what happened during his day. Chanyeol has gone from telling him about his morning coffee to whatever happened the same morning with Yixing and a man named _Junmyeon._  Chanhyun listens attentively with interest, throwing in more questions here and there, until Chanyeol ends up telling him about the little girl's condition now. He has skipped the part where Junmyeon asked personal details about Yixing while the doctor was unconscious, to which Chanyeol never entertained too much. All Chanyeol told the man was to ask the doctor himself when he woke up, but both Yixing and Junmyeon were already out of the ER when it happened so Chanyeol didn't get to witness more interactions. He makes a mental note to ask the doctor about this on Monday.

 

"I'll just clean up, alright?" Chanyeol says, several minutes later. "Have you had your dinner yet?"

 

The kid nods with a smile. "Yes, daddy. You?"

 

"I'll reheat something from the fridge. If you're hungry, just tell me. Okay?"

 

"Okay," Chanhyun answers, waving a hand. "I'll just read here until you're done."

 

Chanyeol gazes over his nightstand, noticing a new set of books. He wonders briefly if those are the books that came from Kyungsoo, but they look suspiciously different. Instead of asking, he opts to let it go for now and decides to clean up and change into comfortable clothes. Fifteen minutes later, he's heading downstairs to prepare himself something before spending more time with his son. Just in time when he reaches the last landing, he feels his phone's vibration in his hand and frowns. He's almost tempted to ignore it, thinking it's probably from the hospital. But when he sees his best friend's name, it doesn't take him a second thought to slide the blinking green option and answer the call. While he does so, he goes on with his task, opening the fridge and scanning the contents. It crosses his mind how he's not seeing any leftover food from dinner. Chanhyun must have spent it somewhere else, but then he remembers the kid telling him that he was _just here,_ implying being here _the whole day_ , save for his ice cream date with his uncle which mustn't have taken long hours. Or maybe, they simply finished all the food.

 

"Soo?" He takes out the leftover japchae from this morning to reheat. "What's up?"

 

"Chanyeol, is Chanhyun already  _home?_ "

 

Chanyeol stills, listening intently to his best friend's words. "What do you mean?"

 

"I'm already here at one of my father's diners. Before I say something, can you tell me if Chanhyun is already safe and sound?"

 

Chanyeol scowls. "What do you mean, Soo? He's right here. He's upstairs, reading his books. Is everything alright?"

 

He hears Kyungsoo taking a deep breath before speaking again...  _"Oh, you're not gonna like what I'm about to tell you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad a lot of you have gotten to this part. I thought this story might bore anyone who accidentally reads it. Please, leave me some feedback. You're all amazing!
> 
>  
> 
> And also...
> 
>  
> 
> Kyungsoo!!! Whatcha doin', fam?


	9. Ahop

**WARNING: A horrible attempt at light fluff ahead.**

**\---**

 

"We need to talk."

 

His son is obviously surprised to hear him speaking in this tone. Chanyeol can't blame him; he rarely uses a very serious tone whenever he talks to the kid like they're in a casual conversation. But after what the kid did, he can't just let this pass now without having a word with him. He loves Chanhyun from the tips of his hair to the last particles of his body, but the kid has grown from being a completely innocent child to someone who's slowly manipulating adults with his smart words and adorable gazes. Chanyeol won't just sit around and watch his son grow more into this.

 

"Now," Chanyeol adds with finality. "Please, close that book and we'll head to the dining room."

 

"Why the dining room, though?" the kid tries to ask.

 

"Nope. I'm not answering that question until you close that book and follow me."

 

_Or better yet, he's not going to let Chanhyun's adorable confused expression deceive him. No, not today._

 

He waits on until Chanhyun is actually following him to the dining room.

 

"What's going on, daddy?"

 

Both of them sit across each other at the dining table. "You're going to tell me where you're getting all your ideas from."

 

Chanhyun looks lost for a moment but Chanyeol refuses to buy it. "What do you mean?" the kid asks.

 

"You walked into Mr. Byun's office. I didn't even know you went in there. You didn't just lie to me, Park Chanhyun. You're putting your security team and uncle Bo-gum in trouble, too, for convincing them to participate in this."

 

Chanhyun immediately covers his face with both of his little hands. "Oh, no. _He promised me._ He promised me he won't tell anyone!"

 

Chanyeol closes his eyes briefly before running his now freezing hands through his hair. "Who promised you?"

 

_"Bacon! He promised me."_

 

Chayeol doesn't know if he should laugh or he should cry. "His name is Baekhyun."

 

Chanhyun crosses his arms over the table and places his chin on top of them. The kid's face is so red, Chanyeol is finding it hard to stay firm at him again. "He promised me he wouldn't tell you. Or anyone."

 

"And he's keeping his promise so far."

 

"He told you!" Chanhyun almost screeches.

 

"No, he didn't. Your security people did because I forced them to."

 

The kid surprisingly turns quiet at that so Chanyeol decides to go on with his words.

 

"Why are you assuming the worst in _him_ instantly? You don't even know him yet. If anything, his participation in this has nothing to do with our conversation. In fact, I'm yet to talk about this with him and warn him to pay close attention to what you do when he's not looking." Chanyeol pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stay calm. "You told me you were only going to spend an ice cream treat with uncle Bo-gum today. But you just _had_ to meet _him,_ _secretly._ Why would you do that? I mean, if you wanted _so bad_ to see him again, or if you're _that excited_ to spend time with him, you should've at least told me."

 

Chanhyun pouts, staring at the table. His nose is turning red, too, and his lips start to quiver.

 

"Well, aren't you going to say something for yourself?"

 

The kid sniffles a little before asking with a small voice, "What do you want me to say? You caught me. _I'm sorry._ I should _never_ have trusted them, too."

 

"That's not the point! Why did you do that?"

 

_"I asked you, didn't I?"_ Chanhyun murmurs with an accusing tone.

 

Chanyeol runs a hand through his hair in frustration again and pulls on a fistful of it. "Asked me what, exactly?"

 

It worries him that Chanhyun can't even look up at him now.  _"What would you do if someone gives you a gift that you don't like anymore?"_

 

Chanyeol tries to go back to last night's talk in his head when they had the conversation about _gifts,_ but still, he can't connect the dots. "And?"

 

"What did you tell me?" Chanhyun asks him instead, still without looking.

 

"That _it would be rude to give them back_ so you just _keep_ it and _appreciate_ it. What does it have to do with any of this?"

 

His heart breaks into a million pieces as soon as he sees tears brimming the kid's eyes. "I gave you a present on your birthday. You can't just return _him_ when you don't want him anymore," he quietly says.

 

Chanyeol's hands and knees feel weak so he mirrors the kid, crossing his arms over the table, too. He doesn't want Chanhyun to witness how his hands shake when he's supposed to be the braver one here. "Hyunnie..."

 

"You said..." Chanhyun subtly wipes the tears from his eyes before continuing with a shaky voice, "You said the possibility of someone taking back what they already gave would depend on some factors. I talked to him because I wanted to know what factors he was considering when he decided he wanted to take me back." He buries his face into his arms. _"He never really owned me in the first place for him to take me back, right? But you just willingly let him do it. Without even asking if I wanted him to."_

 

"That's not true," Chanyeol quickly disagrees, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "I didn't want him to take you away. He's your father, Chanhyun."

 

"And what about you?" Chanhyun raises his head up to look at him directly this time, with a pained expression. He looks as if someone has betrayed him and that shouldn't be right when someone is just this young. "Who are _you_ to me? _Are you not my father, too?_ "

 

Chanyeol bites on his lower lip harshly to prevent himself from crying, too. "Chanhyun, you're a smart kid. You know exactly what I mean and why I'm doing this."

 

"Then you don't have a right, too, to just simply give me away. _I'm not yours. And I'm not his._ I get to decide who I want to be with, and if I have to stay with him, then you have to be there with me because I want you to!"

 

Chanyeol slams a hand against the table while standing up from his seat, startling the little kid. He's too pissed to pay attention to the context of the kid's words. "I have removed Mr. Kang from your security detail because of this incident and I think that should be enough trouble for tonight. You're going to move in to Mr. Byun's house tomorrow and that's final. Do you understand?"

 

Chanhyun just stares at him, defiantly keeping his mouth shut.

 

"Do you understand?" Chanyeol repeats through gritted teeth.

 

"Yes."

 

"Good. Now, off to bed. I'll wake you up at seven and we'll leave early."

 

Chanhyun wordlessly jumps out of his chair and heads upstairs without looking back. When Chanyeol hears the soft thud of his closing door, he slides back into his seat and starts sobbing quietly to himself.

 

Kyungsoo only told him about Chanhyun's visit to Mr. Do's diner today with a _stranger_. The way Kyungsoo relayed his father's description of the person accompanying Chanhyun made Chanyeol immediately recognize it as Baekhyun. Short male about Kyungsoo's height or slightly taller, porcelain skin, small droopy eyes and tousled black hair wearing a business suit. There's no way in hell that Mr. Do wouldn't simply tell Kyungsoo that it was Bo-gum if it was him because Mr. Do knows the lawyer so well. And what surprised Chanyeol the most is, Chanhyun even introduced the guy as his  _father_  which Mr. Do thought was the kid's way of saying that it's his father's partner.

 

Then he had to talk to someone from Chanhyun's bodyguards other than Mr. Kang about what  _really_ happened today. He talked to Mr. Ong and convinced him it was important that they tell him the truth or he just had to sue all of them for lying to him about the kid's whereabouts. Chanyeol isn't usually threatening people with what he can do, but he just _really had to,_ in order to squeeze the truth out of one of them. He felt betrayed, too, after finding out that even Bo-gum gave them his approval of the child's plans.

 

The truth is, Chanyeol didn't fire Mr. Kang because he followed Chanhyun's orders. He fired him because he conspired against Chanyeol's protocols regarding Chanhyun's safety. He can care less if Chanhyun wanted an alone time with his real father, but it worried him to death for not knowing what's going on. He  _was_ okay with Chanhyun wanting to get to know who his father is, and if they asked for it, he would have allowed them to spend time together. He wanted that, too, because Chanhyun deserves to have as much family. The kid was right; nobody owns him but himself. Not Baekhyun, not anyone. _Not even Chanyeol._ And he knows that; he knows he shouldn't just go about and do long-term decisions for the child without asking him. He knows he doesn't own him. Technically, he's not even the real father.

 

_But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt when the honest idea came straight from Chanhyun._

 

It's breaking his heart—Chanhyun telling him that he doesn't have the right to  _just simply_  give him away. Because in reality, that's not what he's trying to do. In reality, he's not giving him away. But that means he can't  _just simply_  keep him, too, right? Because that would mean he has to be _selfish._ And to become selfish, he's going to take away Baekhyun's right to be with his son. He's going to take away Chanhyun's right to know his real father. He's going to take away so much just to keep the kid to himself and _that's not right._ He won't be completely happy if he does that. Chanhyun might not understand it now, but if Chanyeol does all things selfishly just for the sake of them being together, one day, once he grows up, he's going to realize that he doesn't deserve to be kept by anyone against his rights just because he's too innocent to understand it. He's going to hate on a lot of people for not being informed of how it should've been for him.

 

Chanyeol takes even breathing to stop the shaking of his hands, but he ends up breaking down even more. When he realizes he's not gonna stop, he rushes to the hallway to retrieve his coat and gropes it for his emergency pack of cigarettes. He quietly walks the plight of stairs and into his room, straight to his personal balcony. Lighting up a cigarette with shaky hands and still quivering lips, he takes a lungful of the unhealthy smoke and slowly huffs it out. All he can think about is how Chanhyun has been keeping all of this to himself for a whole week without managing to break. And when he finally does, it has to be the night when they're supposed to spend together because the next day, the child is going to move into a different house. He can just imagine the kid's suffering for the past days while pretending that everything's okay with him.

 

_Baekhyun better give him the whole universe and more because that's what Chanhyun deserves._

 

~

 

With just a couple of hours of sleep, Chanyeol gets up to prepare for the day. He goes to his personal bathroom to take a shower and brush his teeth, mind blank. Half an hour after six, he asks Mrs. Lee to prepare them breakfast while he opts to take care of the kid's suitcases.

 

He knocks on Chanhyun's door and hears the unlocking sound on the third knock. He turns the knob, opening the door wide enough for him to see that Chanhyun has all his things and himself ready. "Good morning," he cautiously says.

 

"Good morning to you, too," Chanhyun quietly replies, sparing him a simple glance and goes back to piling the books from his nightstand neatly into his carry-on bag.

 

Chanyeol walks into his room and scans it—all closets now open and empty. He feels his throat drying up. "Oh. What time did you wake up?" he asks.

 

"Six," Chanhyun answers tersely, zipping his bag.

 

Chanyeol opens his mouth to say something but Chanhyun beats him to it.

 

"Excuse me. I need a time alone, please."

 

Chanyeol crosses his arms over his chest. "What about a time alone  _with me?_ Don't you want to spend at least breakfast with me today, for the last time?"

 

Chanhyun finally looks up at him with furrowed eyebrows and scrunched up nose. _"Me? I wanted to spend a lot more than a single breakfast with you, daddy._ " He places his bag on top of his bed with so much force. _"But weren't you the one who was in a hurry to get rid of me that you decided you want me gone by morning?"_

 

Chanyeol takes a step closer to try and comfort the kid, but Chanhyun speaks again.

 

"I'll be out of your house in three minutes. Just leave me alone for now, please. And I'm not hungry."

 

Chanyeol tries hard to stay firm. "You can't do that. You can't kick me out of your room and ditch breakfast. Stop being so stubborn, Chanhyun."

 

"What, are you gonna force me to take breakfast, too? Just like how you're forcing me to accept a man I barely know and address him as my father?"

 

"Stop this, Chanhyun."

 

"I know you're not angry," Chanhyun says. "You're _disappointed_. And I'm sorry, really, because I am, too. I'm disappointed of what I did." Chanhyun looks away, this time letting his angry tears fall. "I shouldn't have involved Mr. Kang and uncle Boggs. I only wanted more time with you, but I ended up losing you, instead. I guess, we shouldn't really ask for so much when we're already given enough. Isn't that right, daddy?"

 

Chanyeol takes the remaining steps in between him and his son and carries him into his arms. "I'm not disappointed in you, Chanhyun. I love you, and I was just worried last night. Okay? Stop talking like you're all grown up. You're just a baby."

 

Chanhyun slowly wraps his arms around Chanyeol's nape and he starts sobbing. "Why are you giving me away?" he quietly asks with a breaking voice.

 

Chanyeol kisses his temple. "I'm not. He's your father,  _too._ He deserves a chance to get to know you and you have to give that to him. If things go wrong, you just have to tell me and I'd take you back. Is that fair?"

 

The kid sobs some more, trying hard to keep his breathing steady. Chanyeol worries for him since too much crying can be _harmful_ for Chanhyun.

 

"Stop sobbing, Hyunnie. Breathe in, and then let it out slowly," Chanyeol tells him, gently rubbing his back.

 

Instead of calming down, Chanhyun's sobs grow a little louder and he's now heaving air through his lips.

 

"Hyunnie, don't sob. Please?" Chanyeol whispers, drawing him closer to his chest. "I'm sorry. I was just so worried last night, I was having a hard time controlling my voice, I didn't mean to shout. Calm down now. Please? It's going to be alright."

 

Chanhyun finally listens and starts slowing down his sobs. He inhales a lungful through his nose with difficulty, and slowly lets it out.

 

"That's it. Count one to ten in your head while you're breathing."

 

It takes them some minutes before the kid finally regains his wits back, asking, "How would you know if something goes wrong?"

 

Chanyeol kisses his temple again. "You're a smart kid. You'd find a way to let me know. Am I right?"

 

"But what if nothing goes wrong?"

 

"Then that's good! At least, we both know you're in good hands."

 

Chanhyun shakes his head. "That's not right. I don't want to miss you again. This is worse than Busan!"

 

Chanyeol pulls slightly away to look at his son's tear-stained face. "We'll still see each other every now and then. This is  _closer_  than Busan, Hyunnie."

 

The kid sniffles. "Do I really have to leave now?"

 

Chanyeol takes it to consideration for a few seconds before coming up with an idea that would probably hurt them even more in the end. He would like to spend as much time as he can with his kid, but then that would make their farewell harder. He's going to make it difficult for the kid to let go of him again. He's going to make it more painful for himself, too. But instead of following his gut feeling, he decides to do something else. "Okay. How about this. We'll call your _other father_ and tell him we're going to spend the whole day _with him_ before you _move in_ with him? We'll get to know him more, and I'd tell him everything he needs to know about you. What do you say?"

 

Chanhyun seems to find new hope in this news. "Really?"

 

Chanyeol nods. "Really."

 

The kid searches his eyes for any sign of lies, but when he sees none, he finally smiles a sincere smile. "Okay."

 

"Okay?" Chanyeol reassures.

 

Chanhyun nods again. "And... we'll eat together?"

 

Chanyeol can feel a small part of him already asking him to stop. "Okay," he answers, though.

 

This excites the kid even more. "The three of us?"

 

Chanyeol pretends to think about it before smiling back. "If he agrees."

 

Chanhyun seems to be thinking of more requests. "Can we go to Sincheon-dong?"

 

Frowning, Chanyeol hums. "What are we going to do in Sincheon?"

 

Chanhyun clears his throat. _"Lotte World."_

 

Shaking his head, Chanyeol lets out a light chuckle. "We would have to ask Baekhyun first if he would want that."

 

"I'll ask him now. Come on," the kid says, pulling fistfuls of his father's hair to demonstrate his urgency.

 

"Alright. Ouch." Chanyeol puts him down carefully and sighs when Chanhyun starts running out of his room. It's as if he doesn't want to waste another minute to get their day started. He follows the kid and sees him heading straight next to the coffee table where the home phone is placed. He dials some numbers and waits on while Chanyeol is just staring at him, pulling the sleeves of his white shirt up to his elbows. He leans on his side against the wall, watching his son in wonder.

 

_"Appa!"_ Chanhyun suddenly exclaims. "Is this your mobile number?"

 

_So the home phone is working just fine, after all._

 

"I memorized it from last night, appa," Chanhyun says proudly with a smile.

 

Chanyeol realizes by their initial exchange that Chanhyun has come up with  _an address_ for his other father.

 

' _Appa'._

 

He's wondering what else they talked about yesterday because they seem to be in good terms now.

 

"Oh, yes. Daddy is here, right next to me. Why?"

 

Chanhyun looks back at him with a smile but then it immediately disappears, making Chanyeol frown.

 

"N-no. I, uhm..." Chanhyun closes his eyes briefly before turning his back on his father. "I called because I need to ask you something."

 

Chanyeol knows how the kid is so particular when it comes to privacy so he tries hard _not_ to eavesdrop the whole time. But when Chanhyun's voice starts becoming suspiciously quiet as he whispers something into the phone, Chanyeol even takes a small subtle step forward. He needs to make sure that the kid isn't going to say something out of the line. But it seems that the child has caught on to his actions so he turns to the opposite direction and lowers his voice even more, if possible.

 

"You will?" is the next thing that Chanyeol hears him saying with a hopeful tone. The kid looks up at him and gives him an 'okay' sign. "Okay. Same diner from yesterday. See you in thirty minutes, appa."

 

Chanyeol stares at the kid, amused. "That's it? He agreed?"

 

"He did," Chanhyun replies, fixing the collar of his shirt. "I told him we wanted to go out on a _date_ with him."

 

Spluttering, Chanyeol tries to step forward. "You what?!"

 

Chanhyun giggles, running back towards the staircase. "I'm kidding, daddy. I told him  _you_  wanted to go out on a date with him and I'm just taking pictures," the little kid says out loud as he runs up the stairs and back into his room, laughing.

 

Chanyeol blinks several times before finally realizing what the words implied. "PARK CHANHYUN, GET BACK HERE!"

 

~

 

Baekhyun stares at his reflection for the nth time after his nth change of outfit, repeating his conversation with his son over the phone in his head. "Is Chaehyun even sure my son is just five? Or four? Whatever," he mumbles under his breath, deciding to change from the sunshine yellow sweater he's wearing to a light blue one. "He could be twelve, for all I know," Baekhyun continues to ramble on, changing his dark blue jeans into a pair of light gray. "But, then I'd have to be fourteen or younger when I _made_ him and I didn't even like girls when I was that age."

 

Chanhyun could only tell him so much when they were on the phone since _daddy Park_ was just right next to him. But as far as Baekhyun knows, they're supposed to meet this morning and dine out to talk about some things before he takes the kid into his home. If he's _lucky_ enough, Chanyeol might be coming with them, too, to drown him in an ocean of awkward conversations and dangerous glances. Maybe this is why meeting the two Parks makes him feel as if he has to be dressed in his best without seeming too obviously conscious.

 

He brushes his now honey brown hair, courtesy of Luhan's experiment last night, and smiles to himself. He looks good in this color, he almost kissed Luhan after he washed his hair to see the results.

 

"Mr. Byun, breakfast is ready," one of his housemaids tells him, knocking on his door.

 

He picks up his phone, keys, and wallet from his bed and walks to his door, opening it. "Tidy up all the rooms, and change the sheets of the bed in the room next to mine. I want that room in all shades of blue. I want everything clean and perfect when I get back. Call me for emergencies." He grabs his striped charcoal gray coat and takes quick steps to the staircase. Walking downstairs, he glances on his watch and calls out, "I'm gonna be late for my important appointment. I'd take my breakfast somewhere else."

 

As he drives his way to the same diner where he spent lunch with his son yesterday, he keeps singing to himself every now and then. Maybe, that call he received from the little Park has this kind of effect on him. He's less grumpy and he doesn't freak out too much despite being out of his house on a Saturday at his most hated time of the day. He's excited, if that's the right term.

 

He parks his car on the farthest left of the parking space, looking around. He's just right on time and he's sure that the kid is just around here, somewhere.

 

_"Appa!"_

 

He turns to look at the source of that voice and smiles to himself when he sees his son in a light blue sweater over a white collared shirt, carrying his white backpack behind him. The kid runs to him and he crouches a little to welcome him into his arms with a wide grin. "Hello, my favorite chapssaltteok."

 

"You smell nice," the kid says.

 

Baekhyun giggles when Chanhyun tries to bury his nose into his neck. "I'm ticklish."

 

"Me, too."

 

He laughs some more until he notices someone else's presence right next to them.

 

"Good morning, Baekhyun," that familiar deep voice greets.

 

Baekhyun gently pulls away from his son and looks up to see Chanyeol in a navy blue coat over a white collared shirt tucked to a pair of washed blue jeans. His hair is set in a neat comma style, like always.

 

He clears his throat, realizing he just shamelessly checked out the man and he's now taking an unnecessary long time to respond. "Hello, Chanyeol," he greets back, standing up.

 

He feels a small, soft hand holding his. "Have you taken your breakfast yet?" Chanhyun asks him.

 

He only notices it now that he's staring into the kid's eyes that they're swollen. "Have you been crying?" he asks instead.

 

The kid hesitantly nods. "I just had some _bad dreams,_ that's all."

 

Baekhyun looks at him for a hint of dishonesty but he finds it hard when Chanyeol starts speaking again.

 

"We haven't had breakfast yet. Would you like to join us?"

 

Deciding to let it pass for now, Baekhyun just smiles up at Chanyeol and nods. "Okay, since we're already here."

 

Chanyeol gives him a sincere, dimpled smile, too, before winking at Chanhyun and turning to lead them to the diner's entrance.

 

The same lady receptionist welcomes them, but her eyes especially light up brighter when she sees Chanyeol. "Good morning, Mr. Park," she greets with a polite bow.

 

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow, giving her a once-over. "Table for three," he cuts in.

 

The lady smiles up at him, too, albeit less enthusiastically. "Of course, sir. Please, follow me."

 

Chanyeol hands her a silver card, different from the gold one that Chanhyun used yesterday.

 

"Are you a regular here, too?" he quietly asks.

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "No. But _your son_ is."

 

It is only when Baekhyun is about to say something smart that he notices Chanhyun holding onto Chanyeol's hand, too, as the three of them walk into the restaurant. He feels his cheeks burning at the possible image of them, looking something else than two men who are just sharing their son. But that sounds worse. Not because Baekhyun doesn't like sharing but because it feels like they were divorced husbands and hanging out for the sake of the kid's welfare or something.

 

"VIP room number four, as usual, Mr. Park," the lady says, pulling  on the hem of her shirt to emphasize her chest even more. Chanyeol doesn't notice, though, as he's busy letting Chanhyun get into the booth first.

 

"Thank you," Chanyeol says without looking.

 

Clearly disappointed, the lady gives them a curt bow before leaving them in the hands of a male waiter as they take seats.

 

Baekhyun grimaces and chooses to not think too much of it. It's not like he's here on a date with the tall guy or anything. He just remembers Chanhyun telling him yesterday that, as a part of his plan, they need to go out and eat something so he can buy himself more time to convince Chanyeol into agreeing to whatever he's planning. Even Baekhyun can't remember the details of the child's plan now. He's willing to just simply go on with it since the kid spent  _the whole day_ with him yesterday, barely managing to leave him back to his security team before Chanyeol probably arrived home. Instead of going back straight to his office where the child's security team would be waiting, they made a couple of stops that took them almost the rest of the day. He made it up for him, though, by buying him all the books he could carry with his little arms in this book store where the kid took him to and they ended the day by having dinner together in Baekhyun's office pantry.

 

"So you're not a  _regular,_ but a  _VIP._  Why didn't I think of that?" Baekhyun mumbles.

 

They take seats in the secluded booth with a silver round table and black curved couch. Baekhyun initially plans to keep Chanhyun at least in between them so there wouldn't be any awkward accidental skinships, just in case. Chanhyun does exactly that so he smiles at the kid who smiles back at him, too, when the two adults are already seated on either side of him.

 

"Are you doing illegal business or something?" Baekhyun asks Chanyeol with furrowed eyebrows. "You seem like the type who'd be a taciturn mafia boss or a silent underground gangster, you know."

 

"No, Baekhyun. I'm not," Chanyeol patiently answers.

 

Why he wants to know about what Chanyeol does in life is beyond him, but the guy seems to be really taking his protocol about privacy seriously. He still asks, "So what exactly do you do for a living?"

 

"That's honestly not any of your business," Chanyeol says with a smile and a subtle warning look.

 

"What's a gangster, appa?" Chanhyun cuts in.

 

Baekhyun chuckles nervously. "Why are you listening to our conversation? Now, you have to do the difficult task of _unhearing_ things."

 

"It's alright, Baekhyun," Chanyeol says. "You can tell him what those _things_ mean so he'd understand. Otherwise, he'd find another way to figure it out on his own and he's going to learn a lot more than the definition. We wouldn't like that."

 

Baekhyun can already sense the incoming awkward atmosphere since both him and Chanyeol don't seem to be rowing the same boat when it comes to the kid. But the little devil chooses this moment to excuse himself with an innocent smile.

 

"Never mind. I need to use the washroom, daddy."

 

Chanyeol looks genuinely embarrassed for whatever reason, and Baekhyun decides to not push him further.

 

"Do you have your wrist alarm?" Chanyeol asks.

 

The kid smiles up at him and shows him his silver watch. "Always." Then he pulls out the star pendant from under his shirt and shows it to Baekhyun, too. "I have this, too, appa."

 

Baekhyun nods, ruffling his hair. "Okay. Do you want me to go with you?"

 

The kid scowls, looking back at Chanyeol, as if asking him to say something.

 

Which he does. "He doesn't like it when people follow him into bathrooms."

 

Baekhyun nods in understanding. "Alright. Okay, just be careful."

 

Chanhyun finally smiles again. "I will."

 

With that, the child leaves them to themselves, making everything even more awkward for Baekhyun. He follows Chanhyun's movement with his eyes as the kid crawls under the table just to get out. If he isn't seeing things, he's certain that the kid has a mischievous smile on his face before closing the booth's door.

 

"I just have to set my  _line_  on this arrangement _,_ Mr. Byun," Chanyeol suddenly says, almost startling him.

 

"What?" he snaps. Just in time, the waiter opens the door again to take their orders with a confused expression.

 

"Please get back here after five minutes," Chanyeol tells the waiter. Once there's just the two of them again, he turns to face Baekhyun. "If we talk, we only talk about your son. Don't ask anything about me, especially when it has nothing to do with you, getting to know your son more. I am very conscious with my personal details. Please, don't dare to cross that line."

 

"Well, for your information,  _Mr. Park,_  you're not the only one who has a line to set here. In fact, I have several points to make and I'd just make them clear as we go on. But for one, I want you to stop acting like you're  _my son's father_  because you're not." Baekhyun leans in a little closer to Chanyeol's face. "I don't like it."

 

But Chanyeol doesn't seem to be fazed by this. He leans in, too, making their faces almost just about a couple of inches away from each other. Baekhyun can almost _taste_  his breath. "Try convincing  _your son_  to do that because I'm sure as hell won't do anything for you. Everything that's happening now, this is all for him. After all, I've been his father longer than yourself."

 

Baekhyun squints his eyes at him. "Don't you dare steal him away from me."

 

"Technically, you don't own him. No one does. He gets to decide whatever he wants to do."

 

Baekhyun shrugs, looking away. "Well, how do I know? My son and I haven't gotten to know each other that much, yet, thanks to you."

 

"Stop pretending like you didn't tolerate his little stunt yesterday. I know he was with you."

 

Baekhyun looks back at him, surprised. "W-what?"

 

"Did you really think his bodyguards wouldn't tell me?"

 

"I talked to them, though."

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes. "So it's true, then? That you _tolerated_ it?"

 

He sighs. "It sounds awful when you say it like that."

 

Chanyeol just stares at him, expression unreadable.

 

"Okay, since you already know, he told me he wanted the  _three of us_  to live under the same roof for some time."

 

This time, Chanyeol scowls. "Excuse me?"

 

"Oh, he didn't tell you? I thought he would have already disclosed that by now."

 

"No..." Chanyeol's frown becomes deeper. "Why did he want _us_  to live together?"

 

Baekhyun gulps, remembering the sole purpose of Chanyeol being involved in this. He didn't want to get exposed of his intentions right away. Chanyeol might get his son even further away from him if he finds out about it. "Because he... didn't want to miss you?"

 

Chanyeol smirks. "You know, you and your son share the same traits. You're both smooth talkers but at some point, something is going to sound off and already, I can tell you're lying, Mr. Byun. The question is... why?"

 

"Look. It doesn't matter. You just have to understand that Chanhyun wants you there, at least for some time, before you part ways. Are you coming with us or not?"

 

"No, I'm not."

 

"Good. Then there's—Wait. What?!"

 

Chanyeol crosses his arms over his chest. "I said, I won't be with you."

 

"Why not?!"

 

"Because, you don't need me to."

 

"Oh, my God," Baekhyun mumbles. This time, he starts freaking out again, thinking how Chanhyun would hate him so much for not going with their plans. "Did I ruin it? He's going to be mad at me! I shouldn't have talked. I should've just told you he didn't really talk to me and I should've just—"

 

"Baekhyun. Baekhyun, calm down," Chanyeol tells him gently.

 

Baekhyun stops with his rambles and stares wide-eyed at Chanyeol.

 

"He's clearly gotten this from you, too," Chanyeol goes on. "Stop freaking out."

 

"I can't! I mean, he's going to  _hate me_  before he even starts to like me. Why won't you agree to this?! Don't you wanna be with him, too?"

 

"You're taking it the wrong way. I'd love to be with him but what you're thinking about is not an acceptable idea for both of us."

 

"He can have both of us, at least for a while. Gosh, why won't you get it? If you want what's best for him, then let's give him the best of both of us. What's so difficult to understand in there!?"

 

Chanyeol calmly stares at him. "If he has me, as much as it sounds horrible and unfair to you, he would never learn to  _love you_  the way he's supposed to. He would never depend on you to comfort him at times when he needs you to. He would never feel you're his father because that would always be me, and you would merely be an adorable addition to our little bubble. Now if you want to be what you're supposed to be for him, you have to take care of him alone. Without me."

 

Baekhyun feels his ears burning as he listens to Chanyeol's words. "Are you always this forthright to anyone you talk to?"

 

"Why, are you used to people lying to your face to impress you?"

 

"I'm used to people feeling a bit of intimidation around me, because that's usually my effect on people."

 

"There's always a first time for everything."

 

"Right." Baekhyun gives him a sweet smile this time. "And this is going to be the first time you'll deal with a person as _persistent_ as me."

 

Chanyeol raises an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

 

Baekhyun bravely picks an invisible dust on Chanyeol's collar, playfully fixing it with two hands even when nothing seems to be out of place. _"Today, I'm going to make sure you'd agree with this arrangement. No matter what it takes."_

 

"Tough luck," Chanyeol tells him, holding both of his wrists to stop him from moving further. "You have the whole day since your son is planning to have a trip in Sincheon—all three of us. But if I were you, I won't bet on it." Chanyeol smirks. "I'm a little hard to convince."

 

Baekhyun smirks back. _"Then this is going to be one difficult day for the both of us, daddy Park."_

 

At this exact moment, Chanhyun decides to show up his face with those innocent-looking eyes that seem to have witnessed a lot by the way he's staring at them now. Baekhyun's smile becomes wider. "What took you so long?" he asks the kid.

 

Chanhyun smiles back, looking alternately at him and Chanyeol. He takes something out of his white bag. "I just loaded this with a film cannister," he excitedly says, swiftly placing a polaroid camera in front of his face, and snapping a shot. "You look good together," the kid remarks, placing the newly taken photograph into his bag.

 

This seems to have snapped Chanyeol out of his trance. He carefully pushes Baekhyun's arms away from him.

 

Baekhyun blinks several times before finally realizing what just happened. "Did you just..."

 

"Give me that picture," Chanyeol says with a serious tone. "You know I hate pictures, _Hyunnie_."

 

Chanhyun pouts. "Do you really wanna punish me by giving me away without at least getting to keep a photograph of you?"

 

"No, don't play this card on me. Give me that," Chanyeol insists.

 

Chanhyun looks down at his feet, embracing his camera.

 

Baekhyun coos, deciding to cut in. "Come here, you little fluff ball."

 

Looking back up, the little kid walks towards him slowly and sits next to him, forcing him to move a bit closer into Chanyeol's personal space.

 

"Why don't you give me that picture and I promise  _nobody_  destroys it?"

 

Chanhyun glances at Chanyeol first before finally giving in. "Just give me at least three more minutes. I need to make sure it develops correctly before exposing it to light."

 

"Oh, so, that's how it works, then?" Baekhyun asks, deciding to humor the kid. "This camera, I mean."

 

Chanhyun takes interest in explaining this, showing just how much he knows about the device he's holding. _He's not even supposed to know how this thing works,_ Baekhyun thinks. "The chemicals responsible for creating the image would react differently when they get exposed to light. It can, _potentially,_  damage the quality of the photo."

 

"And how does a four-year-old chapssaltteok know this?"

 

"I read the manual," Chanhyun answers. "I always read the manual before using anything." He places the camera on the table and opens his bag once more, searching for something. When he's found it, he takes it out and almost shoves it in Baekhyun's face. "Look at this."

 

Baekhyun has his eyes crossed due to the crumpled paper's close proximity from his face, before he takes it from the kid's hand. "What is this?"

 

"It's the manual."

 

Baekhyun nods, briefly reading the bolded letters and the first bullet. "Polaroids," he mumbles, raising an eyebrow. "Why didn't you just bring a digital camera? That can be easier."

 

Chanhyun smiles as he takes back the paper, placing it back in his bag. "I find photographs taken with a polaroid camera more aesthetically pleasing to look at. Because you can't erase them dismissively." He gives Baekhyun the promised photograph and Baekhyun stares at the horrible candid shot of both him and Chanyeol, with the taller still holding both of his wrists.

 

He fights the urge to grimace and looks away instead.

 

"Here," Baekhyun simply says, handing the photograph to Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol stares at him, absently taking the piece of paper from Baekhyun's hand. "What?"

 

"Don't make me break my promise," Baekhyun warns. He gives Chanyeol a challenging raise of an eyebrow. "Unless you are  _'nobody'._  Go ahead and destroy it."

 

Baekhyun's plan seems to have worked when he sees Chanyeol glancing at his son. Chanhyun has a worried look on his face as they all wallow in silence.

 

"Fine," Chanyeol finally breathes out, placing the photograph on the table. "Just  _this day,_ " he tells the kid.

 

Chanhyun smiles a genuine one as he retrieves the photograph before hugging Baekhyun's arm. "You're good at this," Chanhyun whispers.

 

"Where else would you get it from?" he whispers back, giving him a wink.

 

Chanhyun giggles, covering his mouth with both hands. Baekhyun turns to look at Chanyeol again, this time with a smug, victorious smile.

 

"What do you think you're doing?" Chanyeol mouths at him.

 

Baekhyun taps his chin. "Changing your mind."

 

Chanyeol shakes his head. "That's not as simple as it is when said."

 

Much like what he just did to Chanhyun, he winks at Chanyeol, too.  _"_ _I'm Byun Baekhyun. And I always get what I want."_

 


End file.
